Spotlight
by Sweet Misa
Summary: Grieving over Gabriel's death causes Elle Bishop to vow revenge, but she starts to wonder who he really was. The journey to find out who the real Sylar was proves to be more then she bargined for as she finds truth, mayham, and the killer within her.
1. Stained

Summary: Sylar's death in "Eclipse Part 2" ends up permanent and Elle is dead set on her revenge, but will killing Noah Bennett make the pain go away? Maybe killing Claire is better suited, but when Elle starts seeing her beloved everywhere she might just not be grief stricken, but crazy as well.

Author's Note: In this universe Sylar never took Claire's power hence when Noah killed him he stayed dead.

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CHAPTER 1: STAINED

Elle watched the eclipse disappear from her range. The sun shone down upon Gabriel's corpse. Her hands were tight around the bars waiting for him to wake up. She was waiting for him to stand up and tell her everything was alright and they were going to get the Bennetts. Seconds turned into minutes. He didn't move.

"Gabriel." The first whisper in the minutes of despair. "Gabriel wake up!" She was demanding the body to move. Blood had long since stopped pouring from the man's throat. "You can't leave me. Please don't leave me alone." In truth he was the only one who had truly showed her the affection she craved.

Yes her father had shown her love in a roundabout way, but he also used her. Gabriel had kept her safe. Saved her from Bennett's wrath. There was no point in saving damaged goods like her unless he was willing to try and save himself. Bennett had been stronger and she had been helpless to watch as the only person in the world who cared for her slowly died from existence.

"Why didn't you kill me?" She whispered. "Save me the trouble of caring for you." She wanted to fall against the bars and die herself, but revenge lingered in her bones. She shot a bolt of electricity at the lock on the bars. Her cage opened. Her first reaction was to go to him.

"Gabriel." A stream of tears travelled down her face. He had once called her an angel and at this moment she wished she had divine powers to bring his sorry ass back to her. She placed her hand against his hair, dark and a bit overgrown. She remembered clutching her fingers in that hair just hours before.

She slowly laid down next to him in the pool of his own blood. She stared into his half closed eyes. Her fingers trembled as she attempted to close them. She paused looking into them as if he would hear what she was saying.

"I want you to know that it wasn't easy. Getting you to trust me. It wasn't easy because I knew it was wrong. I never thought something was so wrong in my life. I never had these feeling, true genuine feelings for anyone else. When I first saw you I knew you were going to hit a nerve. Change me somehow. And you did Gabriel." She placed her hand against his hair. Her fingers trembled as tears slid once again from her light eyes.

"You changed me in so many ways. You changed my world. My life. My feelings. You were the electric blue in the crazy rainbow that is me." She smiled knowing that was her favorite color. Her hand rested on his cool cheek. "You were my first Gabriel. My first love. The first person who saw me as what I was and not as what I should have been. To tell you the truth if I could have died lying next to you or by your hand I would because you gave me the best moments of my life. I'll never stop loving you as long as I live." A leap pressed deep inside her heart. She had loved a serial killer. Her father's murderer. The monster she had created. It was like Dr. Frankenstein loving the monster that destroyed so many lives including his own. Yet somehow he made it better. Exciting.

"I'll make sure Noah Bennett knows the suffering he put me through. The suffering you and I had to face. He'll pay." Elle knew those words were true. She had a vendetta on Bennett. He would pay for killing Gabriel. Whether it was with his life or his family he would pay.

"Oh my God!" Elle turned her head to see a dark skinned woman in the stores uniform dropping a box. Glasses shattered at her feet. It was the icing to Elle's cake. "What did you-"

"Nothing." She was shaking trying to decide if she had time for this. She didn't, but she'd tell the truth. Make Bennett be the bad guy. Make Bennett feel the fact he killed a man and he liked it. "He . . .tried to save me. A man chased us in here. He hide me, but the man killed him and left." The woman reached for her walkie talkie.

"Rick we got a problem in the storage unit." She said looking back at Elle. Her eyes told her she believed the story despite the fact she was drenched in his blood. "Honey I can see how shaken you are sit down." She closed her eyes looking away from Gabriel. Elle went over to the woman sitting on the floor by the pile of empty boxes. "Now this guy, why was he after you?" Again the truth was something to look at, but she didn't want to make Gabriel and herself look guilty. A lie would be a quick fix.

"We were going to take his daughter in for questioning at our place. Just routine for our company." Her shoulders pressed toward her body at the mention of the word "company". "He went crazy saying we had no right to take her away and he started shooting at us." She looked at her thigh. At the shot wound that was all, but covered up making the woman gasp.

"We had no choice, but to shoot at him. His daughter got in the way and he tried to hunt us down. He killed my . . ." She looked back at Gabriel. Real tears spilled out of her face. The woman placed a reassuring hand on her back.

"Hey, we're going to get him." She assured Elle as footsteps came running and soon halted.

"Oh my-" A male voice echoed.

"Yeah I know." The dark skinned woman said as Elle sobbed softly.

"Who would do something like this?" The man who had to be Rick asked. Elle lifted up her tear soaked face to look at the light haired man.

"Noah Bennett did this." She told him. "Noah Bennett is going to pay."

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All questions and reviews are accepted. Chapter 2 should be up soon. :)


	2. Payback's A Bitch And So Am I

CHAPTER 2: PAY BACK'S A BITCH AND SO AM I

Elle Bishop had been through too much in the past couple hours. Losing her power, getting the shit beat out of her by a man with horn rimmed glasses, shooting Claire Bennett, kissing Gabriel Gray for the first time, having her first sexual experience, getting shot by Noah Bennett, being saved from certain death by the man she loved, watching the man she loved be killed in front of her. All that plus a police report had left her to this state.

Sandra Bennett was home with Lyle, the brother with little purpose in life. She could hold them hostage until she got tired of it and killed them. Killing Bennett would be no fun. She wanted him to be like her. Watching as she murdered all his loved ones. Like she had done to Gabriel, he had done to her. Turned her into a killer. A monster.

"Probably should come up with a kick ass name." She pondered as she flicked her wrist toward the Bennett's doorknob. It came clean off with just a little electric jolt. She had been given a change of clothes by the dark skinned woman, Marcy, who actually was pretty comforting. Apparently she had lost her husband in a similar way. Well gang violence, but violence all the same.

The light green low cut T-shirt hugged Elle's top tight and the jeans were a bit loose, but she managed to get into the Bennett home.

"Noah is that you?" The woman froze turning the corner to see the woman. Elle's face must have said it all. She could even feel the sparks shock her system. She was upset, pissed, and a bit moody all at once. "Lyle get-"

It didn't take long for Elle to see the boy sprint into a run. She shot a blue streak of lightening at him. He fell in a heap. Sandra had grabbed something, but Elle was too pissed not to notice. A tiny bolt hit the older woman's neck. She cried out in pain as Elle grabbed her Sandra.

"See this is what happens when your husband decides to kill someone. People get pissed." A bolt jolted Sandra's body again. "They get really pissed." She cried out as Elle hugged her tight. "So where's Pom-Pom?"

"Not here." Sandra managed. Elle knew she was telling the truth, but shocked her anyway. She wanted to leave a burn on Sandra's neck if anything else. "You killed her." Elle had a smug smile on though.

"Didn't stick though seeing as I am here and shocking you like a big ol' bug zapper." She laughed softly and heard the door open slowly. The mumbling of the cheerleader herself could be heard getting closer. "Show time."

"I'm sorry Claire." Bennett's voice too. This was getting better by the minute. "I was busy."

"Too busy, Dad. I died. You can't tell me you were too busy to watch your own daughter die." Elle knew that cheerleaders were bitches, but not that they whined this much. She actually might fry her brain just to stop her annoying whines.

"Claire I-" He was cut off by the sight of Elle Bishop in his living room holding his wife and his son passed out on the floor. "Elle, let go of her."

"I'll do that just as soon as I kill her." Another shock went through Sandra's body. Her skin burned leaving a nice circular mark on her neck. Burning skin wafted through the air.

"Mom!" It was Claire ready to fight her teeth clenched. Noah held her back.

"Elle, you can't do this." She laughed at the comment.

"Oh so you're all high and mighty enough to take revenge, but not me. I can't avenge the death of someone I loved." What a hypocrite. His hand was held up as if saying 'please don't hurt my wife'. Wrong hand sign to give.

"Loved?" He was questioning her now. "You can't be serious Elle. He killed your father. He killed a lot of people. He was a monster." She ground her teeth letting little jolts hit her. "Did you ever think he could change? Be good?"

"Maybe I didn't want the good guy. Maybe good guys are boring. Maybe I loved him just the way he was. Don't you remember Bennett? I killed half my family in a fire. I helped create him. My creation. My monster." She was smug about it. She may have been going crazy with grief, but she didn't care. Whether she lived or died didn't matter to her. As long as Bennett suffered she'd rest in peace.

"Elle you don't have to do this. You don't have to be a monster." Now he was just being stupid. He knew her. He knew what she was capable of. That's why he was begging because he had no other way.

"Don't you know me well enough Bennett." She shocked his wife again letting her screams fill her up with joy. Pure joy. "Pay back's a bitch and so am I." A bolt was sent toward Claire. More importantly her brain, but it hit someone else.

Hiro Nakamura had somehow teleported between the two. He stood frozen before falling to the floor dead. In utter surprise Elle looked up to see Noah grabbing for his gun. She pushed Sandra in front of him and started to run.

She ran for the back door and out of the house. She had plans. Sirens could be heard approaching the Bennett house. When they saw Hiro on the floor they'd think Bennett did it. It was perfect. Make him suffer by taking him away from his family. Now all she had to do was repot to Pinehurst and wait.


	3. The Truth Shall Set You Free

CHAPTER 3: The Truth Shall Set You Free

Elle was heading for Pinehurst. Not to bring in Claire Bennett as she was going to show up to Mr. Petrelli empty handed, but to explain that Gabriel was dead. Maybe that would spark some revenge in the father, though she doubted it. Arthur Petrelli wasn't much of a griever.

She burst through the doors of the facility. Her fingers tickled with energy. A blonde haired woman with a row of pearls gracing her neck was coming off the elevator with the fire guy who looked over excited. She looked up and gave Elle a too smug and too knowing grin.

"Elle," Her face then dropped as if remembering something. "We heard about Sylar. I'm sorry." Bullshit she was. She didn't look sorry. Just the opposite. Like she had a chance to shine. Prove herself.

"We're going to fix your guys' mistake. Make Claire a big old popsicle." Flame boy blurted out as the woman rolled her eyes.

"Well good luck with that." Elle fake encouraged giving a thumbs up. "Looking for the boss man. Seen him?" She was sure they had seeing as they had gotten orders from him.

"Upstairs in his office. Grieving over his son." Sure that's what he wanted people to think. Elle didn't waste another second with them. She went into the elevator.

The elevator didn't calm her down. The music bugged her to no end. She tried to bury her anger and tears. She tried to focus on the now. Forget about his death, but seeing someone you cared about die was not something anyone could forget. Every time she closed her eyes she heard his last words to her.

"Goodbye Elle." His soft voice touched her. Her heart leaping with joy and dread. Joy because she loved him saying her name so kindly. Dread because he had left her forever.

She needed to be brave. A good girl. No she didn't need to be good. She had never been good. She had always been someone to fear. And Bennett would fear her. She would not rest until she saw everyone he ever cared about dead at her hands.

The elevator doors opened slowly. Elle stepped out looking in both directions trying to remember where Arthur's office lied. She marched toward there, opening the door hastily. He was one the phone.

"You." She cursed under her breath he just stared at her as electric curled up her arms and spine. It felt like before. The pain of not being in control. Gabriel had taken away that pain, but he was gone now.

"Nathan I'll call you back." Arthur stated as Elle swayed back and forth trying to hide her anger and pain. It was written on her face though. No one could see this girl and simply say she was fine.

"You killed him!" Elle shot her words and electricity at the man. He jolted back as she watched his face heal up. He shook it off dropping the cell phone on his desk.

"Technically I didn't Elle." Another shock rattled his body. She spat a couple curses at him. Her hands shook and she couldn't take the pain.

"You sent us off to die. And you're not even grieving." She pushed her emotion forward into the form of electricity. She stepped forward to see the papers on his desk. The image of the eclipse and other images. An image of her and Gabriel kissing was there. She shot a look up at him.

"Elle, calm down." He warned. "We're all sad to see Gabriel go, but we have to stay strong. Fight." Again she shocked him. He was talking as if he had just quit and not been murdered.

"Fight? Fight for what? Inform me what I am fighting for. I have no one, nothing left. Gabriel is dead!" She informed Arthur. Her fingers itched to shock anyone who got in her way. Especially him.

"He would want us to follow through with our goals." That wasn't true. Gabriel just wanted to prove himself to Arthur. Be a good boy to his dad. Make him proud. Do the responsible thing.

"All he wanted to do was make you proud." She leaned forward pressing her palms against the drawings and papers. "Well are you proud, Daddy." Again her finger sparked, but she controlled it. Mildly at least.

"Elle I can assure you that we will get Bennett and avenge Gabriel." He looked her dead in the eye, but she rolled her eyes looking down at the papers on his desk.

A file was open with Gabriel's name plastered on it. She quickly took up the papers reading. She saw Arthur flinch. She held up her hand pulsing with blue electricity. She continued to read. His name, his power, his history, his parents. Oh that was interesting.

"He isn't your son." She whispered seeing the name Sampson Gray in the box for his father on the manila paper. She looked up at him. "He isn't your son." She repeated as she tossed the file at him. "How could you do that to him?! He trusted you! He might have even cared about you! Wanted to make you proud and you use him!" A deep electrical bolt was sent from her hands to his body. He cried out as Knox came in.

"Is there a problem Sir?" He wondered glaring as Elle sunk against a wall.

"No problem Knox. Elle is almost finished here." He brushed the ash from his clothing as he sucked in a breath. Knox nodded glaring at the young woman before turning around. Arthur went to speak to the woman, but she shook her head.

"I should kill you right now." He hand was just itching for another wave of emotion and electric to hit him. Hear his painful cries to get the image of Gabriel being killed from her brain.

"You won't though." He concluded. "You are right. We used Gabriel. He is not my son. Not Angela's. Not Peter or Nathan's brother. He has no relation to us. He is someone else's son though. Adopted from what I can tell." Elle closed her eyes tight. They had used him. She had to calm down though. Killing Arthur Petrelli was not something she wanted to get involved with.

"Who are his real parents?" She wasn't sure why she was asking. Maybe if she knew the truth about him, maybe she could get something resolved inside her. She'd find his parents.

"All I know is his father is Sampson Gray. There is more in the file in the Company's New York sector." He explained. He stepped forward as if to comfort Elle. She flinched.

"Don't." She pushed him slightly. "This is all I can take." She started to turn.

"Elle," The young blonde's movements halted for a moment to listen to his words. "I am truly sorry for your loss if it means anything, you two were meant to do great things." Elle shut her eyes for a moment. Great things from them? She let a smile slip. Maybe he was manipulating them both into a relationship, but she didn't care. The love she felt for him was real.

"Key word meant. Past tense," She slowly turned letting her pulled back blonde hair follow. "Just so you know if you aren't dead by the time I get back, I will kill you and then I will kill Bennett." With that Elle left to find the truth about Gabriel Gray's life.


	4. Don't Fear The Reaper

CHAPTER FOUR: Don't Fear The Reaper

Elle had little money. Actually none of her own, but people were very giving once a nice little threat and a bolt of electricity ran through their bodies. She flicked on the radio. The sound of the cow bell made Elle give a villainous smile.

The words somehow gave her a calming effect. She had left all her fears behind her. She pressed her hands against the wheel. The car rode well enough for Elle to handle. Grant it she had little practice with automobiles, but she was used to it by now.

She had to face the facts. He was gone. A shock hit her body. Her own electricity was harming her. Keeping her alive and awake. She had to go on. She had to find the truth. She had to not fear death. At least for now. She had to keep herself alive in order to kill Bennett for Gabriel. After that death could take her. She'd be with Gabriel again. She sighed feeling her stomach rumble.

She rolled her eyes hoping she had enough for some food. Maybe a piece of peach pie. Damn it! He was slipping into her head. She had forgotten about the peach pie she had used as an odd form of seduction. She tapped her fingers on the wheel twisting her lips. She decided to pull into a little diner.

Just her luck the diner she chose had cops all around and bright yellow tape. She parked the car very curious about what was happening. She got out of the car closing and locking the doors. She watched as police flooded the scene with puzzling looks.

Puzzled looks? She wished she could get a good look at what was going on. She joined a crowd and tried to listen to the people. Too many were talking. That was her cue to slip under those shiny yellow ribbons and check it out.

She went under looking to see a body covered in a white sheet being carried away on a stretcher. There was so much blood it was seeping out through the top. The head part. Elle shook her head. He couldn't be alive. Let alone killing again. Her heart fluttered though. Just at the thought he was alive. She rather have him alive murdering people then dead and six feet under.

"Excuse me Miss, but I'm going to have to ask you to step behind the tape." She turned to see a dark haired young cop had asked Elle as he looked her up and down. He shook his head as if to get back on the manner at hand and not his date life.

"I was just curious." Elle swayed back and forth. She flirted a bit, but not over the top. Even if he was dead she still felt like she was betraying Gabriel somehow. "I was wondering who got hurt."

"More like who got dead." The man said looking over at the corpse. "His name was Robert Keep." Elle's eyes narrowed. She had heard of him. At the Company.

"The guy who got in the sky diving accident and lived?" Elle wondered looking over her shoulder at the victim.

"That was a while ago, but yeah. How did you remember? You don't look like you are from around here. It's a small town. I know everyone." He stated with a cute little smile.

"Some stories just stick with you I guess." She shrugged in her pink blouse. "And I'm not from around here. Just heading to New York for a little trip." It was a cute response. He grinned back like an idiot.

"Really?" He leaned in smiling. "Well if you need someone to show you the way I am more than willing to help a cute girl like you." He was really pushing it.

"Molten." Another cop was calling. An older one. Someone with higher authority. He just motioned upset with the fledgling cop.

"I got to go. If you need anything else," He started to say. Elle started to slowly back away.

"No actually I think I should get going. All this blood. Getting me sick." She pretended to cover her mouth as she turned for her car. He called back something, but she couldn't hear.

She was frozen mid step. Her face was frozen in a deep state of shock. Her hand dropped to her side. Her eyes were wide at the sight. Gabriel Gray stood in the middle of the crowded area. Actually it was more like Sylar. A smug grin plastered his face in a demonic fashion. He wore all black. Black shirt, pants, and even a stunning long black coat with a high collar.

"Sylar." She whispered and with that he started off. She went to sprint after the figure when she was caught.

"Wait what did you say?" It was the young cop, Molten. "Did you just say Sylar? Like the serial killer from a year ago." She pulled her arm away from his grasp.

"I have to go." She started running toward where she saw him going. She ran far and fast leaving the car behind. Her eyes followed the dark clothing. She wanted to call out, but was afraid to. If she did he might disappear.

He led her down a dark alley and he was gone. No where insight. She took a breath realizing she probably ran for about a mile straight after him. She leaned against the brick building taking breaths. When she paused she heard someone else breathing, but saw no one. A smug grin appeared on her face. Was he letting her play his game?

"Who's there?" She asked innocently. She saw something flicker out of the corner of her eye. She raised her hand. "Oh I know." She shot a bolt of lightning at the wall. The girl, about early thirties became visible instantly. "An invisible girl. You should really think about not breathing so loud when in seethe mood." The girl shuttered crawling to the corner and starting to blend in.

"Hey Chameleon Girl." A shock went through the girl's body as Elle knelt down to take her by the neck. "I wasn't done. Do you know who killed Robert Keep?" She shuttered under Elle's touch. "I'm going to shock you if words don't come out of your mouth in three seconds." Elle held her hand under the girl's chin. Her face trembled.

"No I heard Keep died and I just ran. I thought it was Sylar. I didn't see anyone. I swear to you I didn't." She sobbed openly and Elle rolled her eyes.

"You know she would be a nice Christmas present for me." His voice jolted her eyes behind her. He was standing behind her. Clear as day yet not there. She beamed at the man.

"Christmas is so far away." She whispered looking up at him.

"Well then make sure the gift doesn't get spoiled. I think you know what to do Elle." Her heart fluttered hearing his voice again. Seeing him standing above her in utter approval of her actions. Something her father did. Something she needed in life.

"Of course." She turned back to the girl who looked confused.

"Who are you talking to?" She wondered and even though Elle knew Gabriel was dead. That he wasn't standing above her watching as she was about to shock the girl into a coma. She knew that, yet still she wanted it to be real. She wanted to be different. She didn't want to be good.

"The ghost of Christmas past." She said with an odd hunger of a grin. A flood of blue electricity sparked through her and into the girl. She made sure not to fry her brain as to spoil the present for Gabriel. She hummed to herself as she brushed off dead skin from the girl that had been torn offas she stepped out of the ally.

"Come on baby, don't fear the reaper." Sylar told Elle as she walked from the ally. Elle turned to look at the figment of her imagination.

"I'm not. I'm going to find your father. Get the truth for you then make Bennett suffer. If I die on the way so be it." She stuffed her hands in her pockets walking away toward the street. She could hear Sylar slightly humming the Blue Oyster Cult song. She smiled slightly humming the song as well realizing this was her life from now until her goals were achieved.


	5. Some Sick Twisted Fairy Tale

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Don't worry people will return as soon as Elle gets down with her bad self. Actually last chapter was one of my favorites to write in the slow decaying process that Elle's sanity is going through. If you can believe it the sociopath does get crazier. Keep up with the reviews.

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CHAPTER 5: Some Sick Twisted Fairy Tale

"Local authorities are still on the lookout for an individual putting victims in comas." The television informed Elle Bishop as she sat in the rank, torn down apartment room in Newark. She raised her eyebrows already knowing the cause of the event.

"Me." She whispered as she sipped on the Icee from 7-11. The cool cherry flavor ran down her insides. A quaint school girl smile reflected on her face.

"Police have little to link the five individual crimes together except all the victims were severely burned and suffered a total system breakdown." Elle munched on the straw to her causing it to split down the middle. "None of the victims of woken up from their comas and some even suggest a supernatural occurrence." She let out a chuckle as she zapped the TV. Glass crackled in the dark room and the lightening lit up the room for a second.

"Funny they think it is something like bogeymen or combustion." She kicked her foot hitting something. She looked down from the sofa smiling coyly. "Isn't that right Dougie?"

The man who owned the apartment was a white scruffy looking man who laid on the creaky wooden floor. Elle had chosen to spend some relaxation time in Newark before heading to the Big Apple. That and she knew from her contacts from her old job that Douglas Batter was a hot mess just waiting for the takedown, but he had been in jail too many times for anyone to rightfully get him. Elle just happened to catch him in between crimes. He had silver tape around his mouth to prevent him from alerting anyone of her whereabouts. Also he was tied up tightly with thick ropes.

"Oh don't worry Doug." She slapped his flab of a cheek letting the sound of skin on skin echo through the room. "I'm just going to put you in a nice long sleep." She pressed herself against the couch's back firmly putting up her legs covered in fish net stockings on a round coffee table that looked too cheap to even break. "It will sting for a bit, but then you'll be in dream land with all the others."

She smiled proudly to herself as she shut her eyes. All the little heroes wrapped up nice and safe for her honey. She let herself believe that if she gave him presents he'd come back. His soft chuckle allowed her to flicker her eyes open. He was standing over placing his foot on the man's head. Of course Doug didn't seem phased by the imaginary foot as it was not truly there.

"You are really something leaving me all these gifts." His grin said it all in his jet black James Bond style outfit Elle dreamed up for him to wear. Slick suit, slicked hair. Elle bit her lip looking him over.

"I do my best." Elle concluded flattening her electric blue mini dress. She watched his eyes examine her. He stepped forward. She tried to feel the hand resting on her shoulder that Sylar placed gently and tenderly on her. She couldn't though.

"You are the best Elle." He told her. She watched as his fingers went to brush a stray hair from her face. They passed right through.

"Mean it?" She teased looking at his imaginary lips. The eclipse came back to her. His body pressed to hers. His lips locked and hungry for her. He had probably replaced his ability to hunger for powers with his hunger for her. She hungered for him that day as well. She still did.

"Always and forever." He leaned in as if to kiss her and she closed her eyes in preparation, but the kiss never came. It would never come.

Elle sighed jamming the toe of her steel boots into the man's side. She cocked an eyebrow shaking her shoulders.

"I'm going to get some sleep. Don't go anywhere." The last part was a mere whisper as she went toward the bedroom. Just a night of rest here and she would be good to go back to the Company.

She laid down on the wooden framed bed. It wasn't comfortable in the slightest. She debated whether or not to get up and just sleep on the couch, but she was too tired to get up. It wasn't long before her eyes fell and the sleep took over.

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Elle stared out at the balcony from her cage. All the others could go to the ball. Everyone, but her. She watched as the Petrelli brothers set off with other women. Nathan with the woman with the ice problem and Peter with a woman Elle didn't recognize. Pom-Pom held the hand of her high flying boy toy. Noah and Sandra Bennett were even present. All were in stunning ball gowns while Elle wore rags.

The scrappy looking clothes were loose to her body almost falling off. She pressed her fingers to the dirty cage bars. She wasn't allowed at the ball. She didn't belong there with them. Claire looked excited about having a good time spinning around in her puffy pink dress and light make-up. Noah looked happy linking arms with his wife.

Elle's face dropped looking sad. Depressed even. Why couldn't she go to the ball? Why couldn't she be like the other girls? She flickered her eyes up to hear a familiar laughter. It was followed by another laugh. Her own laugh. She looked up to see Gabriel Gray in a dashing tux. On his arm was another woman. From the back Elle could tell she was wearing a dark blue dress with no back almost a halter.

"Gabriel!" She called reaching out her hand. He turned and so did the woman. She saw herself standing beside Sylar both with villainous grins. Elle looked on in shock as the other her gave a salute before going into the party. "I . . .I don't understand. Why can't I go to the ball?"

"We aren't like them Elle." She turned to see him. His white t-shirt and dark blue dress pants were proudly shown. The slit in his throat was still against his neck. She turned back to see Sylar and the other her close the doors to the fancy ball. A soft finger lay against the other Elle's lips. A soft "shh" was released before she followed Sylar in. "They're killers. We never wanted that. We were forced into it. You by grief and me by an ability I could't control."

"Who are they then?" She stared out as a bloody scream ripped from the party. A large bolt of electricity lit up the room like a Christmas tree. A spatter of blood coated the glass doors.

"What we have become." He said matter a factly. "Sylar and the killer in you." Elle stared at the scene watching as the other her pressed her hand to the cheerleader's head. Her boy trying to get in the way, but was fired before he could see it coming. All the death was consumed in a thick coat of blood.

"The killer in me. The killer in you." She realized turning to Gabriel. He nodded and shrugged at the same time.

"Either way we're a perfect match. Damaged goods." That was true. They had been damaged.

Another scream. A male scream, perhaps Peter. She turned her body to see her other's face coated in blood. She smiled fondly as Sylar came up behind her to hug her. She could have sworn a praise came from his mouth. The other her smiled in approval of his own bloody carnage. Their stained lips pressed hard and feverously against each other. Elle looked away.

"So who are you Elle? Are you the Company girl Daddy always wanted or the killer I turned you into?" Gabriel asked clear as day to her. She wondered who she was for nearly a second. She looked back at the killer in her. She saw her going up to Noah Bennett who was on his knees. The other her twisted his neck as Sylar gave an odd approving smile.

"I don't know." She whispered as the scene began to change.

She was no longer stuck in a cage. No longer a prisoner. She was watching herself again. The woman in the blue dress looking fairly lonely.

"Cinderella," A little girl sang beside her. She glanced seeing the child was her. Overalls, blonde pig tails, missing teeth, and everything. "Dressed in yellow."

As the other Elle looked toward the dark stair case the dress turned from dark to bright yellow. A smile appeared on the young woman's face.

"Went up stairs to kiss her fellow." The woman went up the stairs hitching up her skirt as she went a bit eager and excited. Elle watched as Peter was leaning against a desk in a very clean cut suit and tie. He was the fellow in this part. Waiting and wanting her. The other Elle seemed all too eager for him.

"By mistake she kissed a snake." Elle watched as Sylar came from nowhere to shoot Peter in the back of the head. He fell to the floor like a lead weight. The other Elle walked in with her bright dress looking happy at first then saw Peter's dead body. Sylar was holding a gun in his hand with a gleeful grin. The other Elle looked worried, but not scared as he approached her. His lips were planted firmly on her lips and the girl in the yellow dress took them in.

"How many doctors did it take?" The little girl finished in a questioning way looking up at older her.

"None," Elle responded. "She took in the venom." She watched herself kiss Sylar. The man who murdered her father and her greatest love all wrapped into one. Then again she was a murderer and his love as well. Like Gabriel had said they were perfect any way.

--

"Bitch!" Not something Elle enjoyed waking up too. She rolled off the bed as Douglas smacked his extended arm down. She looked confused for a minute then remembered.

"Right extendo man. Should have remembered that from the files." She was crouched as her hand buzzed to kill him.

He stretched his arm out long enough to reach her neck. The fingers dug into Elle's skin causing her a bit of pain, but what was a bit of pain now. She had been dealing with the emotional kind for too long. It was about time somebody hurt her. She grinned at him.

"You're Elle right? Company girl? Well tell the Company for the billionth time I'm not interested." He explained, but Elle just grinned. She sent a shock through both their bodies holding back a scream of pain. She let everything out into him until he was fired dead on the floor. The smell of rotting skin thick in the air.

"Sorry pal, but I resigned from the Company." She looked at the body disappointed. "Now look what you made me do? I ruined the present." She shrugged thinking for a moment. "Oh well," She bent down ripping the man's shirt off his back. "No use in hiding who I am."

The electricity rippled through her body to her fingertips. The man was dead. His skin would be a good place to leave her mark. She imagined Sylar watching her from above seeing the writing.

"Cinder?" He asked when she was finished. The burned words steaming on his oily flesh. She shrugged.

"It makes sense." She turned toward the imaginary man. "Cinder like burn. And Cinderella like the princess." He grinned a bit and laughed.

"You are a psycho bitch." He chuckled as he wrapped his invisible arms around her. "And that's what I love about you." Elle pretended to be comforted by the imaginary serial killer's embrace. She was in some kind of sick twisted fairy tale. The princess was too sick minded for her own good seeing her dead prince while looking for the remaining piece of the puzzle. Samson Gray. He was her glass slipper and she needed him to fit into place with her plan.


	6. Knocking On Death's Door

CHAPTER 6: Knocking At Death's Door.

Elle found it fairly simple to waltz into the abandoned Company without much commotion. Actually not any at all. Sometimes she would think she saw a shadow on the wall. An odd feeling tingled inside her. Being back at a place she hadn't come to in months was odd. Level 5 was all, but abandoned. Spider webs had set up shop. More bugs crawled across the floor.

"This is where I tried to kill you." Sylar's voice stated as if it was a fond old memory.

"Well it didn't work." She stated with a silly shrug. She almost skipped out of the cell in her mini dress and new black stilettos. The steel toed boots had been stained with sticky blood ruining any chance of making a clean getaway.

"Aren't I lucky." A soft chuckle echoed as she wandered the halls toward her father's office.

"I should be lucky that the electric blast didn't kill you." Elle snuck into her father's office like always. At least when she needed to peek at records that her father wouldn't allow her to check out.

"You know you don't have to be acting like a little kid sneaking to get some cookies." Sylar noticed as Elle swirled on the balls of her feet. She knew that, but it was more fun if she acted sneaky. Like she was about to get caught at any moment.

She paused when she saw the file drawers were already opened. She shifted her weight looking around the empty room. The chair where her father usually sat was empty, but stained with dripping dried blood where his head used to be. The rug was still filled with the dirt from her own unclean shoes. She never wiped her feet. She pressed down on her heels to listen. A faint squeak was heard behind her.

With a quick snap Elle turned shooting a blue stream of energy. It hit the invisible thing as a scream echoed through the air. The male scream erupted causing the man to stink to the floor quickly becoming clear as day. A playful smile appeared across the young woman's face.

"Looks like we aren't the only ones looking for answers." Sylar's voice rang true as the invisible man known as Claude flipped over looking like . . . well . . .like some psycho bitch had just electrocuted him.

"Claude," She said tipping her foot into his side. She had remembered the man from a couple weeks ago. Hadn't helped her gain control of her ability, but Gabriel had. "Sorry to tell you this, but the Company is not exactly in business, so why are you here?" Claude groaned a bit rolling over.

"I don't think he's going to help you in any way Elle." Sylar explained. He bent down wearing his dark button down shirt and dark jeans. He examined the scruffy looking man with an odd fashion. "Besides we got the chameleon girl." She shrugged twisting her mouth into a little twinge of a smile.

"Not like you to turn down a power." Elle stated kicking the groggy looking poor excuse for a man. She rolled her eyes. "Wakey wakey Claude." A small electrical shock went toward the man's cheek. He let out a cry of utter pain.

"Don't break him Elle." Sylar assured, but gave a secret smile. "Wouldn't want him to go to waste even though he's not a present for me." She shrugged again.

"I'll play nice. For now." She bent down tickling his cheek with her snake like electrical fingertips.

"Bloody hell, Elle." The man's thick accent rang out. "Who are you talking too?" Elle and her imaginary serial killer exchanged an odd look. Sylar let out a soft chuckle.

"My own personal boogeyman." Elle stated squeezing his cheeks so his face was looking into hers. "What are you doing here Claude?" He looked at the empty spot next to her. The spot where she saw her man.

"Probably the same thing as you." He stated letting out a quick and sudden cough. "Looking for a file. My own actually. See if they have anything on me. Where my haunts are." He carefully started to sit himself up. A twig of electricity kept him down.

"Don't get up." She smiled quaintly. "I'm actually looking for Gabriel Gray's file." She stated letting herself open up about her inner mission. Claude glanced over at the records then back at Elle.

"Sylar right?" A twang of shock hit her. The name brought back old wounds, but new emotions. A sort of kindredness with the man who murdered so many. The man she mourned for. She blocked the tears. "Why would you-" An outcry was heard. Had she shocked him without realizing? She shrugged not caring in the slightest. She let her fingers work some more.

"Questions and I shock you so hard your skin will burn off the bone." She pulled in her electricity long enough to see his eyes meet hers. "Now where is the-" A fist hit her face. She let out a slow cry. She quickly steadied herself on her hands and pivoted.

"Elle the file!" Sylar shouted. Elle turned to shock the man directly into his lower spine. He fell down arching his back as she kept up with the eletrocution. He let out pleas and begs for her to stop.

"Why are you taking Gabriel's file?" She took it from his burning fleshy fingers. She stepped on his index finger letting it crack beneath her black heels. He howled out in pain.

"Elle." His voice pleaded. She shook her head stepping on another finger. It creaked breaking fairly quickly.

"Well let's see what you don't want me to see." She opened the file imagining Sylar looking over her shoulder at the words.

In the box marked father was the word Sampson Gray. Gabriel's real father. His father was actually his uncle according to the reports. The address was right underneath. Newark. Elle rolled her eyes. She had already been there. Nothing like going back to an old haunt though. She creaked on another of Claude's fingers.

"Hmm, interesting." She mused looking down at Claude. "It says mother unknown. Guess it was a one night stand." She looked over her shoulder at the imaginary killer. He was not amused.

She went to turn. Her fingers buzzed with electricity just in case Claude was willing to go back to try and stop her from taking the file.

"Elle," She heard Claude's pain filled voice shout at her. She turned to see the exhausted and damaged man look into her eyes. "If you look for Samson Gray you will die." She pretended to think for a moment then shrugged.

"Then I guess I'm knocking on death's door." She shook the file at him and went off to the address where death lived.


	7. Heat Waves

CHAPTER 7: Heat Waves

Elle was annoyed beyond belief. Despite the fact that she was sleep deprived after spending a couple hours driving straight through to Jersey, the address where Samson Gray supposedly lived was now unoccupied. She ground her teeth looking down at her black boots and dark jeans. She needed to blow off some steam. She needed some answers. Samson's neighbors would surely know where the man moved,

Except all the neighbors were away. Elle kicked the Campbell's door in frustration. The seventh house she had knocked and no answer. She wrinkled her face in annoyance.

"Don't worry Elle." The voice of Sylar mused in a clear and unnerving way. "You'll get him." She let out a slow laugh. She pressed her hand to the wooden frame about to get into the house herself to find some clues.

"Just tell me why. Why did you have to hit that kid?" The female voice close behind her made a smile creep across the girl's high cheek bones. She turned in time to see the shrug of an answer from the boy.

There were two people coming up to the house. A woman around mid forties wearing a light purple shirt , jeans, and a denim jacket with flower embroidery. She looked like she had been through too much with the kid next to her. The boy looked to be in high school. Late high school with cropped dark brown hair and a bored expression. He looked like a kid who got into trouble because he had nothing better to do.

"Hello?" The mother greeted finally realized the neatly dressed young woman was standing at her door. Her focus had shifted to the stranger. The son took awhile to realize Elle was there, but when he did he took notice. "Can I help you?"

It didn't take long for Elle to come up with a lie. She was good at lying now. She put on a cheery face letting the board smile slip in.

"Yes I'm with the insurance company. I'm Elian White." She had peeked into the Campbell's mailbox noticing some insurance problems. "I just had a few questions if you don't mind." Innocence was written all over her face and the mother was eating it up.

"Oh yes," She shook her head as if remembering she had scheduled the appointment for today. "I'm sorry I completely forgot. I just need to put away the groceries then you'll have my full attention."

"Great." Elle beamed letting the two pass her toward the door. She would need their full attention. The boy looked over at his mother who gave him a stern look. The teenager followed his mother giving a glance at Elle.

Elle came into the house noticing how fairly neat and uncluttered it was. She smoothed her finger on the edge of the door for a moment smiling. This would be easy. She squeezed her fingers to the lock giving it a good click. No one was leaving unless she had a say in it. That being said she let a stream of electricity burn where the key hole was. She'd fix it when she got what she needed, got bored, or killed them.

"Do you want anything Ms. White? A drink or something?" The woman called as she came in from the kitchen. The boy was close behind her as if to make up for the wrong he put his mother through. Or just to try and look like a good boy in front of the woman.

"No," Elle said through thin lips. She turned rather quickly letting the electricity shoot into the pair. They dropped like lead balloons. "I'm good for now."

--

Human bodies were a funny thing. Technically every human body had the same organs. Same size most of the time. Same weight. All were functioning in time with each other, yet they were all different. The reaction of one body could differ completely from the reaction of the other.

Say electricity went through a fairly middle aged woman as Mary Campbell. The woman was a single mother with false alimony checks coming in for her. She worked two jobs which wasn't enough to support her no good son. She seemed overstress and overscheduled. Yet she was the first to seem to be waking up from Elle's own personal shock therapy.

"The human body is a very interesting thing." Sylar mused into her ear as she rested her heels on the Campbell's cluttered coffee table sitting on the stained couch.

Elle flipped through the old mail of the Campbells. Her victims. Some how it felt good to call them that. She focused her attention on Luke now. Still out like a light where his mother was just regaining herself, though her eyes had yet to flutter open. She only moved in her slumber.

The young blonde glanced at the junior's report card. Three D's, three F's, and one lonely C+. Not a very bright student, though as Elle looked over at the kid he seemed he could actually be bright if he tried. Elle could tell he was an attention getter like her. All he wanted was the attention of others. Which was probably why he started fights from what she heard. A letter from a lawyer was on top, but Elle didn't have time for it. Mary was almost awake.

The young woman smiled as the older woman flickered her eyes open. A sudden jolt of realization hit her. Elle saw it fairly clear. There was an intruder in her house. When the woman's eyes hit the blonde she gave a true Cheshire cat like smile. The cat who ate the canary.

"Hello Mary." The greeting was pleasant. Almost as if Elle was just stopping by for a cup of sugar. Mary Campbell flinched her foot for a second. Elle was quick to notice. She shot a quick, but sharp electrical burst at the woman. Her screams jolted her son up. His eyes were wide as he shifted. Elle gave him the same dose. "No don't get up. I insist." She hide her laugh letting the pair fall sharply back into their seats.

Mary seemed all out of breath, yet a determined look came over her face.

"Ooo, scary." Sylar mocked with a bold laugh. Elle bit the side of her lips to keep from laughing at her own imagination.

"What. Do. You. Want." Each word was meant to strike Elle down, but it only made her flatter. Elle could see Mary Campbell was the kind of woman who was tired of taking shit from people. Well if she wanted to tangle with Elle she would find herself dead by morning.

"Just a bit of your time." Elle stated fondly as she quickly let herself up. She watched the two carefully. "There was a man who lived a couple blocks from here. Samson Gray. I am looking for him. Any idea where he headed?" Luke Campbell blinked hard looking toward his mother. Her determined face altered toward confusion, wondering why a petite blonde would want to find the aging taxidermist.

"I don't know." The answer was completely fake. Actually it didn't even seem as if Mary Campbell was trying. Sparks tickled the twenty-five year old's palm.

"Wrong answer." The shot cracked into Mary's chest. Her screams cradled the room hitting her son's ears hard. Elle gave a devious half smile. She flicked her wrist back pulling the blue stream with her. "Now again, Samson Gray. Where is he?"

"I have no clue." Another short shock hit her. Luke just watched wondering what he could do or if he should do something.

"You see Mary that doesn't even sound real." She took a step closer to the woman who she was fairly certain was on the brink of having heart failure. She shrugged. She still had the boy. "It actually sounds as if you are hiding something and seeing as your heart can't take the shock," Ell tickled her electrical fingers against her cheek. "We'll work on that face of yours."

"She doesn't know anything. Stop." Elle turned her head quickly toward Luke. The boy was still recovering from the deep shock she had given him.

"Don't think so kid," Elle teased looking back at the mother. Her fingers creped against the woman's jaw line. "I can tell a liar when I see one. Don't worry your turn will come just as soon as I stop that muscle she calls a heart." Mary Campbell closed her eyes as Elle pressed her fingers to her neck. "Once more with feeling. Samson Gray. Where?" She was ready to shock.

The mother had no time to answer. A sharp burning sensation scarred Elle Bishop's arm. Flesh sizzled slowly as she cried out in pain. A sharp turn allowed Elle to see the culprit. She brushed her fingers against the burnt flesh seeing the boy standing there with his arm outstretched toward Elle's arm. The young blonde's face masked a shock reaction. Luke only looked slightly stunned.

"Luke," A slow shameful reaction from his mother escaped her lips. "What are you?" Luke glanced over at the woman looking almost relieved. As if a secret was exposed.

"Buddy, you and I need to chat." Elle winced feeling the burning overcome her. She glanced back at Mary seeing her look painful in her state. She really wasn't going anywhere. Luke followed Elle into the kitchen as she motioned.

Elle glanced at the kid up and down wondering how he could do such a thing, but she knew he was one of them. Powerful.

"So let's do a little experiment." Elle glanced around the kitchen for something to burn. A spoon laid on the counter. She motioned to it. "Let's see what you got kiddo." Luke almost looked shocked she was asking for a demo of the thing that nearly killed her.

The teenager out stretched his hand as Elle went around him to watch. A heat wave came out from the boy's palm toward the metal spoon. Some metal fragments oozed off onto the counter. Elle's eyes widened.

"Impressive." Sylar mused at the kid's power. "Most impressive."

"Some stuff melts, some burns, water boils kind of like a microwave." Luke finally spoke up. He turned to meet Elle's glance who simply folded her arms across her chest.

"It certainly is cool." Elle stated looking over at the half melted spoon. "Seems like Mommy didn't know about it." She turned to see Mary Campbell was barely slowly in her state. One more bolt and she could be either dead or comatose.

"She didn't. Glad I didn't tell her seeing her reaction." Luke stated with a shrug. He glanced at the woman who gave him life and took away all the power he had. "Is she going to die?" She blinked looking over at the heat boy.

"Don't think so." She shrugged. "Might go into a coma. Why? You seem unconcerned." She noticed by the bored tone in his voice.

"Yeah I guess I could care less about her. Not that she ever cared about me. Only saw me as a bad kid." He looked down at his own feet insecure.

"Hey," He felt the young woman lift his chin up to look her in the eye. Her angelic face radiated light. "You're not a bad kid. Power doesn't make you bad. People do. You have the power decide if you want to be a bad kid, a good kid, a hero, or a villain. Hell you can even be something in between." She let a smile creep across her lips. He glanced at her realizing her words were true. He had power. More power than most.

"Luke you can do whatever you want." She told him. "Be whoever you want. Parents hold you back. They suck. Trust me I know. Whatever was between you two is gone now." She touched his shoulder then looked back at the woman then him. "You're free."

With that Elle turned to walk out the front door. It took Luke all of two seconds to realize what he had to do. What he wanted to do. Realize he could make his own choices now.

"Hey," He called after the blonde who started down the front steps. "Where are you going?" She pivoted quickly to stare at him, one hand on her hip. The other hand, the one with the burnt arm, was out toward him ready to shock.

"Well seeing as I shocked your mother into a coma I need to find someone else who knows where Gray is." She tried to look to see if anyone else was home in the neighborhood.

"I know where he is." Luke finally stated with assurance. Elle blinked looking at the kid. "I know where to find him."

"You lying to me?" She stepped forward letting the electric tickle his cheek. He winced, but steadied his ground.

"No, my mom knew him. I spent time with him when I was little cause it pissed her off. He told me where he was going. It was about five years ago when he left." He pushed his lips together trying to show he was innocent as rainbows and unicorns.

Elle couldn't help, but think the situation over. She turned her head slightly looking for advice from her invisible murderous friend.

"I wouldn't trust him." Sylar concluded, though Elle still wasn't sure if she could trust her own imagination. "But it's your one shot and you have nothing to lose." That was true. Completely true.

"Okay," Elle concluded seeing the boy beam. "You come, but if you turn out to be lying I am going to fry you." Luke nodded carefully. "Does your mother have a car?" The boy pulled a set of keys from his pocket dangling them in front of Elle like a kid teasing a very pissed off kitten.

"Not anymore." His grin caused her to mimic him. She snatched the keys from him as they went up the driveway toward a hopefully promising lead.

--

Author's Note: ROAD TRIP! XD Now that Elle has an accomplice with her things she get a bit more interesting though her sanity might be an issue with little Luke. So what kind of chaos do you think Luke and Elle will cause next? Will Elle be able to open up to someone after her Gabriel has long been gone? What's in store for them?

Let me know what you think.


	8. Fun and Games

CHAPTER 8: Fun And Games

Elle shifted gears of the old station wagon. A cooler car would have been better, but there wasn't much she needed at the moment. All she really needed was a full tank of gas and a clear road. She twisted her mouth as her companion looked toward the window aimlessly. It had been a whole hour of silence since the house. Well there was the random directions the seventeen year old bad boy wanna be told the psychopathic woman. Nothing personal.

"So is Elina your real name?" Until now that was. Ell slightly rolled her eyes as she looked at the smoggy road. "Cause it sounds like a granny name."

"Well it was my grandmother's name. Until I killed her." She liked the add of that although it had been an accidental killing Grandma White and she had felt bad about it. She was only nine at the time. Still, it made her seem a little more threatening. She saw a little bit of fear rise in Luke from the corner of her eye. "I'm not stupid Luke. Why in God's name would I give two total strangers I was about to kill my real name?" Luke gave a shrug.

"That's true." An indifference over came him, but he still got curious. "So you do have a name right? A real name?" Elle kept her focus on the road as she gritted her teeth wondering if she had decided right on not killing the boy. Or at least keeping him in a pretty little coma.

"My name is Elle. Just Elle." She told him softly. She saw him crack a smile.

"Just Elle." He repeated shifting in the passenger seat. "That's a weird name." Somehow that set Elle off. Maybe he was pushing her last button.

"For your information, Elle is a perfectly hip name. Glad my parents named me that instead of Elina or Eleanor or any other possible name in the world! And what about you? Luke isn't exactly the greatest name unless you were named after a bad ass Jedi!" She gripped the stirring wheel only a few sparks came at first, but soon she released a decent stream then overloaded the car, the cars in front of her, and even a few phone lines. One pole in particular cracked snapping and falling onto a car in traffic several cars in front of her.

Luke just stared ahead at the mayhem he technically had caused by making a slight comment on the twenty-five year old's name. His eyebrows rose as his focus shifted to her. Some people were already getting from their halted vehicles. Elle let a relieved smile slip. She needed to let it out. Anger, hate, and the annoyance. She looked at Luke giving him an almost your-next type look, but playful.

"Feel better?" It wasn't Luke, but the man in her mind. Her personal killer. Sylar. She sighed briefly as she twisted the keys letting herself jingle them in her palm.

"Much." She opened up the car door and let herself into the smog. Luke looked half confused at the woman then opened his car door to follow her into a nearby 7-11 like a little lost puppy.

"Hey wait up!" Luke called trying to caught up with the woman. Elle smiled with her eyes thinking the follow the leader act was getting pathetic.

"You are such a tease Elle." Sylar mused with a laugh. Elle rolled her eyes swinging the door open.

"Am not." She hissed in a whisper. Panic was already thick inside the convenient store. People were asking to use the phone and some were even complaining how they'd be late. An electrical storm was to blame for them. She shrugged searching her pockets for the bills she took off her various victims.

"I would know." Sylar shifted toward the Slusho machine as if directing Elle on what she wanted. She paraded over grabbing a large cup. She proceeded to fill it with the blue slug. The shadow of Luke Campbell loomed over her.

"Who were you talking to?" He wondered sounding almost like a child. A smaller child. Elle shrugged swirling her finger around the opening of the cup. Blue slusho got on her fingers from the plastic dome opening. She stuck her finger in her mouth sucking on it.

"Who do you want me to be talking to?" She teased slightly then proceeded to make her way toward the candy bars.

"See what I mean. A tease." His voice was still a comfort either way. Despite the way Elle was gritting her teeth.

"Shut up." She whispered under her breath. "I need fuel if we are going to be doing more stealing." She knew Luke was close. Sticking by her like she were glue.

"Need another car." At least he was quick on the uptake. He snatched a chocolate bar filled with nuggetty goodness. "Sorry about pissing you off." Elle shrugged grabbing a bag of peanut M&Ms.

"It's all good. I mean at least you got out in one piece." Elle chuckled slowly as she went toward the counter. The line was fairly long.

"Yeah and thanks for not killing me." The boy laughed. Elle turned to give him a smile. A real smile. He wasn't too bad. She could use the company. "Uh . . . I know it is probably none of my business, but why are you looking for Old Man Gray any way?" Her heart gave a quick leap. She knew sooner or later he had to ask that.

"Well," She tried to think up a lie for the people around her. She couldn't exactly say the whole truth in public. Once they had a car she'd give them the whole low down. "He's my . . ." She twisted her lips thinking what to call Gabriel. Her eyes darted to the invisible Sylar looking as f he were leaning against the count like a genuine bad boy.

"Go ahead. You can say it." He sighed as if he were trying to deny the fact of what he and Elle had.

"Boyfriend's father." She went on biting her lip. Luke's eyes slightly widened. She soon brushed her hand to the side. "Long story. I'll explain later when we are in the car." Luke nodded as they got up to pay.

Luckily had enough to pay the woman for the Slusho, two candy bars, and bag of M&Ms. When Luke wondered if it was enough she stated they'd stop at a diner on the way. To which Luke responded with a beaming smile.

"Where are you two headed?" The woman behind the counter asked scanning the last of their items. Elle glanced at Luke who smiled at the woman.

"Road trip. Sort of pre-graduation present." He declared. As he and the woman exchanged pleasantries Elle spotted someone familiar.

"Hey Luke," She said touching his shoulder. "You mind carrying all this to the car. I think I just saw someone I know." She winked at him not bothering for his answer as she left the store.

She followed the man behind back. She shocked him quickly. He gripped onto the trash as he stood to face her.

"Hey Pine!" She called to the man Meredith Gordon had bagged and tagged a year ago. The old veteran was glaring at the electrical villain like she was the worst news he had gotten in a long time. "Are you liking your new digs? Back to being homeless? See," She stepped forward. "At least we clothed and fed you in Level 5. Now you're just a homeless man again." She shrugged clicking her heels together.

"It's better out here than in there. With people. You aren't taking me back, Elle." He gave her a nasty look as Elle gave him a sweet innocent smile.

"You're right." Her face dropped for a second as both her hands buzzed with electricity. "I'm not." In a split second the old man realized what was happening. He gripped the dumpster transforming his whole body into green metal. A quick laugh came from the woman's mouth. His body rattled from the electric shock then dropped to the concrete falling back to his normal skin.

"Idiot," She stated coming over to his body. "Metal conducts electricity." She heard footsteps behind her seeing Luke grinning happily. Apparently he had seen her little show.

"Cool." He grinned. She shrugged grabbing the Slusho from his hand. She sucked on the straw letting the sugary goodness fill her with new energy.

"Yeah, he should be set for his coma except he had nothing on him which is a shame." She shrugged then heard a gasp from the side of her.

She saw the woman that had waited on them. Her eyes were wide at the realization that the travelling pair were killers. Her hands shook dropping the garbage bag she was bringing to the bag. She was about to turn and run, but a wave of heat hit her. Elle turned to her companion seeing his palm stretched toward the woman letting her blood boil. She fell in a heap.

"What?" Luke asked with a pleased look as Elle gave him a thinly raised brow. "Since when do you get to have all the fun?" Elle slapped his back venturing over to the woman. She grabbed the keys tucked safely away in her pocket.

"Well now we get to play what car is our ride." Elle sighed disappointed wishing they would at least know the answer before he let her simmer.

"It's all fun and games Elle." Luke replied. And for some reason she got that.

--

"Well that was entertaining." Elle finally said five minutes into the car ride.

It had taken them less time then she thought finding the right match. Apparently the key to the old black pickup truck had alerted Luke. He pretty much knew what car it was. Hell even the make. The trouble had been getting it to start in which a argument about pressing down on the break and something about the clutch followed. Eventually they realized what to do to get the car rolling.

"Yeah," Luke responded shifting next to the woman. "For me. How long have you been driving anyway?" Elle bite the side of her lip.

"Well six months. Almost." She admitted. He stared at her for a moment scrunching his eyebrows together.

"Six months?! Aren't you in your twenties or something? Didn't you learn the rules of the road in school?" He really didn't know much about the woman he was travelling with. Now was as good a time as any.

"I didn't go to school." She admitted to him trying to get used to the car. It stopped and went for a brief second. She cussed under her breath. "Actually I went to school until I was nine. Then I was deemed unfit for society by a team of crack pot shrinks. Up until a couple months ago I was basically living in a prison." She told him stretching her fingers over the wheel.

"That sucks." Luke pressed his lips together playing her words over in his mind. It was clear why she understood him. She was a loner too. "So what's the whole deal with the boyfriend being Gray's son?"

"Do you want the long story or the short story?" She asked as she reached for her drink. She gulped it down slowly.

"Long story. Hell we got all the time in the world." A little chuckle escaped his unserious expression. She glanced at Luke giving him a sideways glance as she sipped on her drink. She place it back in the sticky cup holder.

"Well once upon a time there was a woman who gave birth to a baby girl." She was starting from her very birth. Luke was kind of getting it. He knew this would be longer then he expected. "She sacrificed herself so the baby could live. That little girl grew up with just a daddy. A daddy she wanted to make proud because she was there instead of her mommy." Elle had never known her mother, but on the rare occasions her father had spoken about Marie Bishop he was the happiest.

"She lived with her grandmother until she was nine. That's when she exploded. She burned down the house killing most of her family. Grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Now all she had was her daddy. He used her. Experimented on her. Tried to make her the best she could be. And she was all he ever wanted. She worked for his company. She tracked down people like them. She wanted to make her daddy proud." Elle briefly closed her eyes knowing the bad parts were coming.

"It changed when she met the boy. Another assignment. Observe and report, but the girl got too close. She observed too much. She liked the boy too much to watch him become a lab rat like her, but she kept those feelings to herself and betrayed him. She turned him into a killer. A monster. Time passed and things only changed slightly. She kept trying to please daddy, but soon daddy was gone. Killed by the monster she had created." Elle let out a sigh seeing that Luke was actually interested in the story. She gave a soft smile.

"She lost control of herself after her father was murdered. They locked her away in a . . .tower to await the day her prince would arrive. He did come, but the prince happened to be the monster she was running from. Yet he made everything better. He made her pain disappear like magic." Elle remembered that feeling of relief wash over her that day. The most wonderful feeling in the world.

"The two of them became close. They were so much alike. They went to track down a girl for the man they worked for now, but she was being guarded and it was difficult to retrieve her. Though it brought them closer together. It made them realize all they had was each other from now on. When they were cornered he hide her away so she would not be hurt. He was killed and she had nothing left after him except her pain and revenge." She glanced at Luke who was letting it all sink in.

"So you want to find his father because. . .?" He wondered raising his eyebrows.

"Cause it will make me feel like I was somehow apart of his life." She explained. The boy was beginning to understand her a little more.

A soft buzz shook in Elle's pocket. She motioned Luke to hold the wheel while she reached for her cell phone. She pulled it out not recognizing the number.

"Hello?" She asked pretty normally. Only a hint of sorrow in her voice.

"Elle?" She recognized the voice of the woman that helped her out. "It's Marcy. We found Bennett. We need you to come to do a police line up. How long do you think you'll be?" Elle smiled happily. Bennett was finally in custody.

"Give me a few days. I'm in Jersey at the moment. Visiting family." She glanced over at Luke who was watching her curiously.

"Alright. I hope to see you soon, kid." She heard the woman say before hanging up.

"Luke," Elle started glancing at the teen who had his hands off the wheel. "Ever been to California?" He shook his head staring at her. "Well you're about too." The two exchanged glances then smiled widely. Luke knew this adventure was just getting started.


	9. Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

CHAPTER 9: Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

Luke proceeded to puke in the men's room at the airport. Elle rolled her eyes able to hear every little upchuck from her unflyable companion. She tapped her silver flats against the grainy carpet just next to the men's room. Several men went through those doors only to come out seconds later. Luke hadn't had much to eat so most of the vomit had to be bile.

"Hurry up," She stated impatiently rubbing one of the soles of her flats against the carpet. "I don't have all day." Even if she could parade into the men's room and help the poor kid out it wouldn't help things go any quicker.

"Technically you do have all day." Sylar slumped beside her wearing a pale gray button down shirt and jeans. He folded his arms impatiently across his chest. "What's the hurry?"

"Bennet." She stated simply pushing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "It took them a while to catch him. He might not be easy to hold." It had only taken her one and a half days to get back to California. A good fake id maker, two dead tourists with non refundable tickets, and a set of brand spanking new clothes later and here they were.

"That's true. He's not easy to contain. Like Claire." He gave a soft chuckle to which Elle responded with an eye roll.

"Well once he's in prison if that is possible. I'll kill his whole happy family. Then maybe he'll get the message not to screw with me or anyone I love." She blew a stray hair from her eyes. The imaginary Sylar placed a hand on her head patting her in approval.

"I'm grateful that you're doing this for me Elle." A fake kiss was placed on her forehead. "I'd do the same for you." She smiled wishing he were real so she could kiss him. Her knight in shining armor. Grant it that armor was black, but shining none the least.

"Oh God." Luke's presence interrupted her moment. Her mouth twisted in disappointment, but she still had to attend to him. He was her ticket to part two of her plan. "Did I ever mention I hate flying?" Elle gave him an eye roll and walked away. Like the trained puppy dog he was he followed.

"So we're going to try and lock the guy who killed your boyfriend away?" Elle turned her attention to the boy in the dark red collared shirt and dark gray pants. She clutched her duffle bag full of clothes and toiletries to her shoulder. Luke carried a similar bag. Which didn't smell too pleasing.

"Sure." She stated with a shrug as they went toward the airport exit. Luke smiled obviously feeling better.

"Am I coming to the police station?" He asked big eyed as Elle tried to wave down a taxi to bring them to a hotel. She glared at him for a second then stopped her waving.

"Okay, hot flash." She said with a stern look in her eyes. "Here's how it's going to work. We're going to get a hotel room. You are going to stay there while I run some errands, convicting Glasses, killing and torturing his whole family, and maybe picking up dinner." Luke gave a smile at the last part. "Then I'm going to come back to the hotel. We're going to get some rest then tomorrow we are road tripping all the way out to see Gray. Got it?" She didn't want to fly again. He had been bad enough the first time. At least she had gotten used to it.

"Yeah, except the part where I do nothing while you have all the fun." Elle responded to his complainant with hailing a taxi.

--

Elle looked through the tainted glass at the men. It wasn't hard to recognize Glasses amongst the other middle aged criminals. She stared pulling at the buttons of her electric blue button down t-shirt. Macy was right next to her staring at the criminals as well.

"You see him?" She asked still in her uniform from work. The police officers on the other side of Elle looked annoyed at her friend. The young woman stared the man in the horn rimmed glasses in eye.

She remembered a time when he had been a friend. The closest thing she got to a friend at least. She had been his partner. The one of us to his one of them. Now she was staring into the face of the man who murdered the monster she created. He had forced her hand though. She still had free will though. She could have walked. Not chosen to change Gabriel into Sylar.

"You were just following orders. But I forgive you." She remembered his words in the cell in Pinehurst. She had remembered when the pain had gone away. The forgiveness that came from him seeped into herself. She was free of the pain. Now she had to rid herself of a new pain without his help.

"N-n-number t-t-two." She stuttered pointing a trembling finger toward the correct killer. Stuttering and trembling because tears were welling up inside her eyes. She realized she'd never see Gabriel except in her own mind, her dreams, and her nightmares. He would always be with her, but she would never be with him. He was gone.

"Are you sure?" The police officer asked as an attorney scribbled down the info.

"Yes," She stated trying to gather what was left of herself up. "I'll never forget that face as long as I live." She looked into the police officer's eyes were certainty.

"Okay," He told her. "You may go now."

Elle held herself together as she started to walk out of the room. Macy followed, her dark hair bobbing in a ponytail.

"Elle!" She called as the blonde woman spun on her heels to face her. "What you did today . . .it was very brave. I know I wouldn't be able to do it." She placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "If you need anything," She whispered into her ear as Elle hugged tight. "Just give me a call." Elle nodded pulling away.

"I will, but right now I need to go back to the hotel. Be with my brother." With that Elle turned to go in the opposite direction from where Luke was sittingm probably attempting to get some x-rated movies. She was off to the Bennet household for some revenge.

--

Sparks sizzled inside the lock for the Bennet's home. Elle found it easy to enter the home of her former partner and the prissy little bitch of a cheerleader. Though the house looked empty, Elle had been taught to investigate every possible outlet. Bennet's home should have Bennets. She'd be good with the son, the wife, hell even that darn dog would make an interesting frying.

Elle was silent sneaking in. The sunlight beamed into the dark house from outside. Her shoes made a soft echo. She was about to give up, but she wasn't exactly going to not send the rest of the Bennets a message. She pressed her hand on the counter of the kitchen. Cool and somehow comforting. She went over to sink to see the pots and dishes from this morning were still in the sink.

She grabbed one of the dishes. Crumbs from a piece of toast and sticky egg yolk stuck to the edge of the white plate. Elle's face wrinkled as she threw it against the wall letting it shatter. Her lips pressed hard together to keep herself from screaming. What gave Pom-Pom the right to have a normal life? Mom, dad, little brother, school, homework, homecoming, and even a popular cheerleader. What gave her the right to be so normal while she had to endure so much?

The sound of new shoes caused Elle to turn and fire without checking to see who it was. A loud thud and a low cry hit the hard wood floor not allowing the woman to see who the person was. She came out from her position letting her tongue click against the roof of her mouth.

"Nice shot." Luke stated with a painful moan.

"I thought I told you to stay at the hotel." Elle said through clenched teeth, though she still helped him up. She was starting to like him too much. He was starting to become an actual little brother to her.

"You did." Luke grinned staring at her for a moment. "I didn't listen." His grin was contagious. She shook her head slapping his back as if that were a punishment.

"Well since you're here you might as well be of some use." She started for the stares toward Claire's room. "We're going to trash the cheerleader's room. You in?"

"Sounds devious." Luke laughed taking the steps two at a time. Elle let out a quaint girly laugh. At least they could have some fun.

The woman swung the door open to see the tidy room. Well made bed, nice vanity, cheerleading trophies set on a self, piggy bank full of change. Elle set her aim for the piggy bank letting the electricity fry the pig. Change and plastic shattered falling to the ground in a heap. She turned around to see Luke looking over the room trying to find what he could melt.

"Go for the trophies." She insisted. He followed her suggestion gleefully closing the door behind.

Elle focused on her own works. She threw picture frames and raided the girl's closet. She actually thought about stealing some clothes. She looked around for a bag in the closet only to hear the faint sound of a door slamming.

"Luke," She hissed motioning him to quit down and melting the knobs of the vanity drawers. "Someone's here." Her smile went half way until she heard the steps.

She let herself escape from the closet. She moved slowly listening to each set of footsteps. Heavy? Was it Bennet? Had he gotten out of prison? It was possible the son walked heavy like that, but the footsteps she heard seemed powerful.

"Get behind me." She motioned him behind her as she approached the door. It was hard to believe that after all the annoyance he had put her through she was now protecting him. She'd feel guilty getting someone else killed.

She slowly stared at the door shifting her weight. Her fingers buzzed with energy as Luke steadied himself behind her. She gave Luke a quick nod as if to say wait for me first. Her hand gripped the knob hearing the footsteps stop. With a quick motion she let the door open. Her eyes focused on the other intruder. One she never expected to see again.

"G-Gabriel."


	10. His and Her

CHAPTER 10: His and Her

There were moments in life where all someone could do was stare. No words for the impossibility that was the moment a person was facing. Every emotion could be felt in the blink of an eye. All the pain, sorrow, happiness, and anger. Elle Bishop was experiencing such a moment.

Two seconds ticked by staring at each other. Both wide eyed. Both surprised by one another. Elle felt her body tremble at the sight of him. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"You're not real." She muttered for the first time. She stepped back wondering why her imagination would conjure Gabriel when all this time she had been seeing Sylar. She could tell this was different from the other times. His face was too full of emotion to be the monster she made. He took a steady step forward.

"Elle," He whispered her name raw and full of the man she loved. "I-"

"Stay. Away." She lifted her hand looking down at her feet. "You aren't real." She wanted him to go away. At least Sylar didn't pretend he was real. Didn't pretend to try and say things. Luke took a spot next to Elle's side.

"Elle." Gabriel repeated her name again. "Please. I thought-" Luke stepped between them causing Gabriel to notice the teen.

"She said stay away." Elle suddenly looked up. Luke was in defense mode and she saw the man was getting annoyed giving him a sharp back off look. She nudged Luke's shoulder.

"You can. . . " She looked into Luke's eyes first then Gabriel's for a split second. "See him?" The boy pulled his face into a ray of confusion then looked back at the man. He slowly nodded.

Her face turned taking him in. The dark button down shirt and dark pants. His face a bit confused looking at the boy for a moment before he looked into Elle Bishop's eyes. She searched his face for the answer. An odd fear that he wasn't standing in front of her washed over her. Maybe it had been Bennet and she was dead right now.

"Elle," Again her name. Again it was becoming real. "I'm so sorry. I thought . . .Bennet had killed you. I was told Bennet found you after I was killed. If I knew you were alive I would have come for you. Elle," He stepped closer about to touch her hair when she flinched. "I wanted Bennet dead so badly after I realized he caused your death. You don't know how much it hurt. Or maybe you do." It wasn't long until she realized she was crying. Just a little.

"I'm going to assume this is the boyfriend." Luke stated bluntly.

"Shut up, Luke." Elle responded shoving her hand toward him. She stepped an inch closer feeling Gabriel's body heat. Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her. She wouldn't be convinced until she touched him.

Her fingers reached up toward his forehead. He closed his eyes as if waiting for her touch. The tip of her index finger connected with the hot skin allowing a gasp to escape her mouth. As each of her fingers met the soft flesh Elle felt the pain drift away. He was alive. He was real. He was standing right in front of her. Most importantly he loved her.

"Ouch." She quickly pulled her finger from his closed eye realizing she accidently poked his eyelid. She let out a soft laugh. Figments of imagination couldn't feel pain. He was real.

"Gabriel." Her voice must have sent him into some kind of overdrive because the next thing she knew she was feeling his lips on her lips. She kissed him triumphantly. She held his face to hers making a soft moan. It felt good to have him again. Kiss him, love him, want him.

She always wanted him, but now her lips were doing the talking. Her heart could stop from grieving and start loving. Her mouth explored his realizing they hadn't had much time before. She'd make sure they had time. He wasn't ever leaving her again.

"Not to interrupt this Hallmark moment, but can someone explain what the hell is going on?" Luke was out of the loop. Gabriel was the first to pull away. He planted a haunting peck on Elle as he looked at the boy.

"Who's the kid?" He asked looking between Luke and his love. Elle scrunched her nose still unable to believe this was all happening.

"Oh, um . . ." She wondered if she should start explaining now or on the way to the hotel room. She smiled at Luke who just looked a bit peeved. Apparently from being lost in the whole thing. "I'll explain on the way to the hotel." She stated grabbing Gabriel Gray's hand. He nodded.

"There is a lot to explain." He laughed and the three of them left the Bennet home. For now.

--

"So let me get this straight," Gabriel proceeded to ask as he sat at the sturdy desk in the corner. He was still in his dark clothes, the ones Elle always imagined him in, well Sylar, but it was hard to decide who was present, killer or watchmaker. He picked at the remaining pieces of the microwave burrito they had picked up on the way to the hotel. He plucked a piece of stray chicken from the wrapper. Every little bite was a sign he was alive. "You filed a police report on Bennet, confronted Arthur on my parentage, went on a killing spree to New York, found out where my father was, tortured a small family, then came back here with Luke to seek revenge on Bennet before going to kill my dad?"

"Well I hadn't decided whether I was going to kill or torture your father." Elle stated with a shrug as she drained her Slusho. Luke laid on the mattress watching the pair aimlessly then looking back at the talk show on the TV. Gabriel let out a soft chuckle enjoying her lively behavior.

"Anyway what about you Mr. Hotshot." She quipped watching as he shifted in the seat. "You get brought back to life by Pinehurst after they bring Claire in only to be told Bennet killed me to which you respond by going to kill him who tells you I'm alive and that Arthur Petrelli isn't your real father. You then go to find the truth from Arthur and show him no misery when he responds by telling you he and Mama Petrelli used you. You kill him. Go to New York to find out what they all know only to burn down the Company. Come here to seek a little revenge and I show up."

"That's about right." He responded. Luke gave a needed glance at the couple. "Claire's blood has brought me back more than enough times. Makes me feel bad I'm going to steal that pretty ability from here." An evil grin plastered his face.

"I don't. I mean besides the fact that she sent me to Pinehurst to begin with she's not the best kind of person. Whiner." Elle pouted crossing her arms. Again Gabriel chuckled.

"So what's next for this wacky gang?" Luke asked absent mindedly as he flipped a playing card in his hand. Gabriel looked over at Luke who was grinning to himself. He then looked over at Elle.

"Pen." He called for. Elle tossed the clicky topped pen toward him which he caught victoriously. He flipped the back of a business card over scribbling down the phone number. Luke sat up on the edge of the bed. "Here" He handed Luke the card to which he responded with a raised eyebrow. "Call this number to see if they're home. Ask for . . .I don't know anyone. From the hotel phone."

It didn't take the teen long to figure it out. He moved his position to the other side of the bed toward the phone. He picked it up and began dialing.

"You know if she's there I'm coming." Elle insisted moving herself on the other bed close to Gabriel.

"I've taken that into consideration." He quipped quietly.

"Yeah, is . . . um . . .Mary there?" Luke responded wrinkling nose. It was a stupid response, but he knew he had to get some name out. He listened. "Oh sorry." He placed the phone down.

"Well someone's home." Elle snapped her look from Luke to Gabriel.

"Question is was it Claire?" Gabriel asked with a raise of his brows.

"If we're looking for a cheerleader I think we found her. Light and full of air. Also shaky sounding. I think she's alone." Luke concluded and Elle had to be impressed. She had found the trashing they inflicted no doubt.

"Let's go get the cheerleader." She said standing to her feet and pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"You guys are leaving me here again." Luke concluded seeing Gabriel stand next to his woman.

"You'd only get in the way Luke." He told the teenager. "You know we have to come back for you. You know where my father is." Luke tried to give a reassuring smile. Before they left Elle turned.

"Hey Luke," He shifted his focus toward the blonde woman. "Thanks for sticking around." He smiled trying to show her he was better off with the two serial killers then his own mother.

"Just go get the cheerleader and hurry back." Luke told them. Elle gave a weak smile and with that they were off to knock off a cheerleader.

--

"You know if you keep that up we are going to get caught." Gabriel Gray responded to Elle's need to show off her spectacular power by sparking the dumpster close to the Bennet home.

"Just letting off some steam, Mr. Gray." She cooed biting her lip. She focused her attention forward as he sighed beside her. He had thrown in the towel. No sense in trying to tame the untamable. Besides he liked her sparks.

"You know I missed you." He told her as they approached the neighborhood.

"Missed you so much I went crazy." She laughed manically. "Literally. I could have been committed. Seeing things, hearing voices, having nightmares that were actually dreams." Gabriel glanced at her, but she shrugged. "It's all over now. I have you. You have me. We're a happy family." She singsonged the last couple sentences remembering the tune from Barney. One of the few shows she had glimpsed at in her younger days.

"Well I want to make sure it stays that way." He responded looking as she moved closer to him so she could link their arms. It was hard not to go back to her old ways. She had always been a playful girl.

"Hence the going to kill the cheerleader part of the plan." She smiled happily seriously glad he was next to her. Really next to her. They were close to their distantion. The two rounded the back of the house for a little surprise attack. Elle suddenly remembered something as Gabriel released from her grasp. "Oh, I have presents for you." He looked at her a bit surprised from her sudden outburst and confused. "People like us. In comas. All really powerful abilities." She gave him a pleasant grin. The kind she gave her daddy when she knew she had done a good job.

"Why'd you do that?" He wondered knowing Elle thought he was dead. She only had to think for a moment.

"Because I was unstable. Insane. Thought you'd somehow come back and sweep me off my feet, which I wasn't far off." Her finger sparked as they touched the lock. The door creaked open.

"Thank you for that then." Only Gabriel would ignore the part where she could have been committed and go straight to the idea of more abilities. All he really needed was Claire's, but it never hurt to get some more.

The home was dark and nearly empty as the two entered. Both cautious as they came into the kitchen. Gabriel turned back giving her a look that said stay by the door. She nodded looking in to see if it was clear for them to start looking upstairs. She watched staying close to the exit.

"Looks like Bennet left his work here." Elle snapped her head to see Gabriel going through Company files. Well former Company files as they were debunked at the moment. Elle found it amusing at Gabriel's excitement, but that amusement only lasted seconds.

Claire really came out of nowhere stabbing him so fast Elle had no time to react before the cheerleader was running like a bat out of hell. Gabriel fell to the ground quickly. Panic overwhelmed the blonde. Probably both of the girls as Gabriel managed to struggle up. He pointed a finger at the girl. Elle knew the sound of the thud and struggle to scream.

Elle kept her position by the door only listening to him. Elle hoped the tearing of the brain would kill the cheerleader once and for all. She knew it was unlikely though. Someday she would kill Claire. At some point in her life. Once she heard the sound of cheerleader hitting the wall Elle came into view. She grinned at Gabriel who smiled back letting Elle's heart flutter, though it wasn't a heart fluttering grin. It was more of a heart stopping grin.

"Elle." It sounded like a plea. Claire was pleading with her. To make him stop. For a moment Elle felt a twang of guilt. In another life they could have been friends. Two ambitious young women out on the town. But then again in another life her and Gabriel could be going to the movies instead of spending her day proceeding to pluck the brain out of a once spunky cheerleader.

"Sorry Claire," She was surprised of how unsorry her voice sounded. A couple weeks on a killing spree could sure make someone not care. "No help for you. The bitch is back and she brought a friend." A soft chuckle came from Gabriel as he lifted his finger to Claire Bennet's forehead.

Her favorite part followed. The screaming.

--

"What are you doing?" Much to Elle's disappointment Pom-Pom's chest slowly rose and fell. Not to mention the question. Elle was watching curious in the corner as Gabriel picked at the cheerleader's brain on the dining room table. She found it all wrong only because it reminded her she was to blame for the monster.

"Looking for answers before I bleed to death." Only Gabriel Gray could say something like that as a kitchen knife stuck out of his chest. Elle made a soft chuckle.

"Why . . .is she here?" The soft question escaped the girl's lips almost frozen in fear, not for death, but for pain. That it would come soon. Elle glanced at Gabriel wondering the answer herself.

"Because she's mine." The last word was said to make it clear to Claire that she belonged to only him. His girl gave a soft smile as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Yours." Claire's lips trembled as the top of her head was being explored. "How?" Elle rolled her eyes.

"Just enjoy the free brain massage, Pom-Pom." Elle shifted from her corner coming so she could look in the girl's eyes. Almost dead, but still a hint of life. "It's not every day someone survives the treatment."

"Elle," Gabriel declared glancing up at the woman. "You're in my light."

"Sorry, babe." She merged back into her corner waiting for the thing to be over with.

"How did you get so screwed up?" Claire wondered as Gabriel paused. It was a question he asked himself as well, though he knew part of the answer.

"You know the usual way girls get screwed up." Elle told the both of them. "My daddy never loved me." Claire took a breath in.

"There it is." He declared taking his finger toward the area. He breathed in slowly. Elle didn't like how they were breathing in time. Her fingers buzzed with energy.

She watched as he struggled to stand up. She came over to help him. She half expected him to push her away, but he steadied himself on her shoulder. He pulled the knife out slowly. Elle's heart quickened hearing his groaning. She watched as the cheerleader's ability worked its magic on Gabriel. After the healing Gabriel placed a one armed hug around Elle and kissed her forehead. She was glad it was real this time. She smiled happily as they held hands going for the front door.

"Oh," She said quickly letting go of his hand. She picked up the top of Claire's head placing it on the girl's exposed brain. "There you go Pom-pom. Don't say I'm never nice to you." She winked going back to Gabriel, though she wasn't really sure who he was anymore either.

"Wait," Claire said before the couple could even grab the handle. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Isn't it obvious Claire?" The man beside her asked. "You can't die. And now, neither can I." The two smiled leaving the cheerleader with that thought to go on to new ventures.


	11. Papa Don't Preach

CHAPTER 11: Papa Don't Preach

Gabriel Gray held a metallic green hand to the stirring wheel as his other hand in the normal flesh tone he had held the other side of the wheel. Elle was pleased Gabriel had decided to make some pit stops for the abilities. At least he had Danny Pine's, Sue Launder's, and chameleon girl, Danielle Bride's abilities. The other two of her victims had gotten up from their comas, but at least he had the abilities that mattered. The man shot an ingenious look at Luke knowing his human lie detector ability could eat the boy up.

"So Luke do you really hate your mother?" Elle shot a look at the boy wondering his reaction. He was still staring aimlessly out of the back seat's window, like he had been at all the hospitals. Only a hint of mischievousness sparked in his eyes.

"Yes," He said with a sigh as if it was obvious. "You know I'm not going to lie to you. I mean I was a big liar back home, but you guys can hear my whole truth because it's bad and both of you are worse then I am." Gabriel's metal hand turned back into flesh. A victorious smile plastered on his mug.

"We all have negative truths. I never really hated my job back at the Company." Gabriel glanced at Elle feeling a tingle crawl into the back of his head.

"Elle you're lying." He told her as if she didn't already know. She shot a look at him. His voice had gave a hint of anger.

"Busted." Luke whispered to himself. She shot him back a look. One that said close your mouth before I do it for you. Elle thought for a moment when she didn't like her job at the Company and smiled.

"Well I remembered the only time I disliked my job was when I had to force you to become a monster. That's the only time I wished I wasn't working with them." It was the truth and Gabriel knew it. He reached for her hand to grab it the way she had grabbed his hand the night he showed her his ability a year before.

"You know you can never lie to me now." She was aware of that and gave a simple nod.

"Have you lied to him before?" Luke asked throwing a knife into the wound. Elle winced making an unpleasant face. Gabriel took his hand from hers to place it on the stirring wheel again to make a left turn according to Luke's directions.

"Yes," She said almost ashamed. He gave her a haunting glance. "But that was when I worked for the Company. I've never lied about my feelings for you." He smiled and she knew that he knew it was the truth.

A good minute or two passed with no lies or truths. Silence enveloped the car minus the little creaks across the dirt road. Gravel stuck tight in the tires. Elle started to unwrap an energy bar which was when Luke opened his big mouth.

"You know your father sold you for money." Elle and Gabriel exchanged odd glances as he gripped the wheel tighter. "We used to go bird watching. I just did it to piss off my mom and to get away from her. She thought I was a bad seed since the day I was born. He told me he used to have a little boy a long time ago, but he sold him for money." Gabriel glared back at him.

"Well it isn't a lie, which only means you think it's true." He concluded, his eyes on the empty road.

"What kind of father would do something like that?" Elle muttered under her breath.

"Mine would. I think I remember it." He stared into space for a good while. Elle exchanged a look with Luke.

She smoothed out her black blouse. She would have worn the skirt she stole from the cheerleader's closet to meet Daddy Gray, but she had a feeling that he probably wouldn't be thrilled to see his long lost son, which meant fighting.

"He . . ." The word came out after a long while. A breath was sucked in. Elle looked nervously toward him. "He killed my mother." It wasn't a huge surprise to the twenty five year old woman. Abilities usually were passed on and seeing how Gabriel had a natural ability she could safely assume his father had a similar ability.

"Gabriel." A soft whisper exited her mouth. His face was set in longing, for the mother he never had. The caring one. Not the one who drove him to be special. The one who cared that he was gone.

"She loved me and I loved her. She wanted me back and he . . ." His hands gripped the steering wheel. Anger flooded through him. "I'm going to kill him." Elle then watched as his look became more determined. He wasn't giving up. Sylar may just even come back and if that was going to happen she would be ready to protect herself. And Luke.

"Solves the problem of killing or torturing." The woman stated causing Gabriel to grin.

"There!" Luke stated lounging forward in his seat. Gabriel spun the wheel in the direction of the abandoned shack Luke pointed out as the home of Samson Gray. The young boy's body jetted back hitting the seat hard as Gabriel halts the car putting it in park. Elle held her own as Gabriel turned the car off.

He doesn't take a look at her as he starts to leave. It isn't long before she realized he was goning to leave them behind. Her face turns to annoyance and anger as she opens the car door.

"You are not going in there alone." Elle declares as he stared at the house. Luke is next to Elle in a moment's notice. He glances at the two. "We helped you get here. You can't leave us to just wonder what happened." She stood her ground determined to help Gabriel in this discovery any way she could. The man shifted a soft look at Elle to a sharp look at Luke.

"Without me you wouldn't even be here." Luke told him with an equally sharp determined expression. A sigh escaped from the older man's mouth.

"Try not to get hurt." He told them motioning them forward as they entered the home.

Elle hide her grin as Luke dragged on behind them looking at the various junk in the yard. Gabriel opened the screen door with a creek. It was hard to see in the dark lit home. Elle peaked her head in glancing about. Some broken and wobbly chairs were scattered about a rectangular table. An old television set sat on the edge of the wall, a stuffed owl guarding it. Elle's shoulders tightened at the sight of other long dead animals plastered everywhere.

"Someone likes their wild side." Elle mused in a whisper. Gabriel just continued looking around touching the edge of a long forgotten wheelchair.

"He's a taxidermist." Luke whispered glancing at an old lamp. He touched the edges of the lamp shade. Elle looked back at the boy seeing how he became lost in old memories with a lamp shade. Besides her thinking that was weird she saw Gabriel had found his old man in the other room. She looked through the dirty glass with him. A solemn unremorseful look came across his face. The old man was working. Elle's heart fluttered as she saw Gabriel look toward her.

Her manicured fingers tapped against the window. A tickling noise at first then her knuckles hit the glass. Gabriel's expression was unchanging slightly. A hint of sadness pulled his features together.

"It's open!" The old man shouted. A dry cough followed his words. The two shifted toward the handle of the loose sliding glass door. As Gabriel opened it Elle glanced back at Luke, who was busy shifting through the junk. She could have sworn he had pocketed some.

"Almost got the order ready." Samson Gray told the couple. Obviously thinking they were customers, though Elle wasn't sure who in their right mind would want a dead animal. "You have a lot of pickups today?" A quaint smile came across her face. Gabriel was obviously not well put together so she started the conversation.

"We're not here for a pickup." She stated in a light, but dangerous tone. His hand halted at his work bench. He tilted his head slowly and she wondered if he was surprised at hearing a woman's voice or just surprised he had a non business related visitor.

"No?" His hoarse voice asked as Gabriel shifted his expression. He was back on track now.

"It's me." Gabriel let out. "Gabriel. Your son." She was watching his expression slowly. Sylar was shifting through. Her toes curled up and she wondered if her own killer within would be released as well.

"Is that so?" He asked his fingers starting to work again. "And you brought a friend." Good she was being acknowledged. The two stepped off the steps and onto the hard carpeting.

"Oh she's more than that." Elle liked hearing that. However many times he said it. She hid the smile again. Samson Gray shifted grabbing another tool.

"What brings you two all the way out here?" Middle of nowhere. Not a place for a young blossoming couple, but certainly a place for this century's Bonnie and Clyde. The pair shifted around looking. Even though Elle had killed before she never wanted to display her kills. They didn't deserve to be stuffed and hung up as trophies. Hunting animals was all well and good, but stuffing was just taunting.

"I'm not really sure anymore." His eyes looked down at the tools. It wasn't an answer Elle expected especially in a saddened tone. "Why would I want to see you? A man so cruel to murder the woman who had his child. A man who abandoned his son. Why would I want to see him?" His fingers stroked the rim of the table.

"See what you could become. See what you came from." Elle's voice cooed slightly through a smile. Gabriel Gray shifted his eyesight toward the man.

"So? What now?" The old man asked with little fear in his voice. Not a hint of fear actually.

"Now?" His eyes narrowed as if his stare alone would shoot a hole into the old man's back. "I kill you." Elle's heart leapt as if to scream yes. Or maybe it was Cinder, her killer who wanted nothing more than to see this man's blood all over the floor.

The old man finally shifted to look at the two. Elle half expected Satan to appear, horns, goatee, and all, but a disheveled old man was all that remained of Samson Gray. A gray curling beard covered a great deal of his face. His rectangular framed glasses were brought down to the bridge of his nose. Cold dark eyes stared at Gabriel for a moment then ran over Elle's frame almost hungrily. Gabriel shifted closer to her. Smoke filled the room from the ash tray. Several cigarettes dying out slowly.

"Go right ahead." He challenged. Gabriel almost looked confused. A liquid infused cough followed the man's words. Elle twitched backwards seeing him get up. An oxygen tank was held tightly in the man's one hand lugging it with his arm. "You kill me or the cancer does." Elle's eyes widened. This was no fun. "Either way I die." He passed both of them toward the other room.

"Bust?" The woman questioned with a whisper. Gabriel shook his head as he followed the old man up the steps.

"Luke!" The old man exclaimed seeing the boy who nearly jumped at the sight of him. "Stealing my things again I see." A toothy grin came across the man's face. Luke gave a nervous smile. "Help yourself kid. Not like I'll be alive long enough to miss it." He went toward a drawer to pull out another cigarette.

"You really do have a death wish old man." Elle concluded watching as he lit up and puffed on the cancer stick. A loud auditable cough erupted in the air.

"Seems I do pretty young thing." He gave a perverted smile at her. "Seems I know my two boys, but not you. What's your name?" Elle was about to answer when the words sank in.

"Two boys?" Gabriel was the first to question the words. Samson puffed again on the cigarette and coughed. Luke looked up from the pile of old tools with a bewildered expression.

"Didn't you know Luke?" He glanced at the teen with a look of knowing. "You're my son." Gabriel shot a look at Luke. Samson wasn't lying. Or at least he thought Luke was his younger son. "Which would make him your half brother Gabriel." Luke stared at Samson clearly shocked than saw Gabriel's look of betrayal.

"Gabriel," He said quickly. "I swear I didn't know." Elle saw the man's face drop and she knew Luke was telling the truth.

"See all those times wishing you had a different father and you did." Samson tipped the cancer stick into the ash tray then looked back at Elle. "Now again I must know the name of my estranged son's special girl."

"It's Elle." A stern and almost stubborn expression over came her.

"Elle, huh?" He mused. He shifted into his wheel chair coughing and breathing in the oxygen. He glanced toward Gabriel. "Watch out for women Gabriel. They're nothing, but trouble."

"Is that why you killed my mother?" He asked watching to man shift in his seat.

"Yes, I couldn't let her steal you back. That would just waste all I had accomplished in life." Gabriel was itching to kill him. "Mary was different though. She wanted you Luke." Luke locked eyes with his father. "She thought she could change you like she tried to change me. She thought her husband would love you, but he never did. They never loved you Luke cause they knew what you came from. You sought me out for understanding."

"But you abandoned me like you abandoned Gabriel." Luke concluded. He wouldn't mind if Samson Gray was dead either.

"I did. That's all I am good for, abandoning. Well that and killing." He turned his attention to his other son. "Which I can safely assume is an ability you have Gabriel. You watch everything so carefully. Every movement I make, Luke makes, and even your girlfriend." He gave another look at the young woman. Gabriel shifted.

"How can you tell that just by watching me?" The man asked his father as another cough over came him. Once it was cleared up he looked at the couple.

"Because it was how I acted in my younger years. Wanting to learn more, be more. I guess that never came around." His hand lingered to the pocket of the wheel chair pulling out a switch blade. "You know I never really loved anyone in my entire life." Elle watched as the blade popped up. "Your mother was close Gabriel. Very close, but when you were born . . .well . . .she loved you far more then she loved me. I think that is part of the reason I killed her." He ran his finger over the blade. Gabriel's anger was boiling. Samson then turned his attention to Luke.

"Your mother was just trapped in a loveless marriage, Luke. We never had any feelings for each other. She just tried to make her husband jealous." Luke looked down at the stuffed rabbit in the manila box. I had been helpless, like he was right now. "You were a mistake." He had heard that before. From his mother and father.

"Was I?" Gabriel asked with a twinkle in his eye of knowing. "A mistake?"

"No," Samson concluded closing the knife. "Your mother wanted you. She wanted a child, much to my dismay, but it was very hard to say no to her." A quite knowing laugh escaped his lips which led to a cough. Gabriel was getting tried of this. Elle was too just a bit. "So, if you have the same ability as me you must be an expert at something. Let me guess . . . watch making." Gabriel Gray became intrigued by this.

"You must have helped Martin out at his watch shop. I used to work there too until I was eighteen and realized I could do better." Gabriel Gray remembered his father telling him how he used to work there with his father, but Grandpa Gray had died long before Gabriel had been born. "You know that the knowing how things work has to be fed. It helps and hinders our hunger." The switch blade floated in the air as Samson Gray showed off his skill.

Gabriel caught the closed blade that was flung at him. Luke shifted his position looking closer at his brother. Still very baffled by the whole thing. Samson and Elle watched Gabriel flick the blade open. He ran his finger along the edge. Elle witnessed the wound. She nearly forgot about the regeneration. He held his hand out watching the wound close up with pride.

"How did you . . .?" For the first time Samson Gray was baffled.

"A little ability I picked up from a cheerleader." Gabriel kept looking at his hand wondering how long he could survive with this ability. A pang of regret at taking it came over him, not for Claire's sake, but for his own. Everyone around him would die. Elle would die and he would live. That made him regret not having the ability to die.

"Very handy." Samson's words escaped his mouth as his hand launched forward toward Gabriel. The man hit the wall quickly. Elle watched as several arrows came at him. Reaction came before she knew it. She was going to block the last arrow from keeping him pinned.

"NO!" It stuck her as she ran between them.

A gasp escaped her lips as she saw the arrow sticking out from the middle of her body. She barely heard anything from that point. The two brothers shouted her name as she fell. Luke jolted forward giving Samson a blast of micro waves, but he turned around. She watched Luke fall. He went over to Gabriel. She tried to build up the strength to let out a powerful electric shock. Her body buzzed as she saw Samson. He smiled taking the switch blade to her head.

She opened her mouth letting out a scream and her energy tending him back just a bit. It wasn't as powerful as she thought. He barely left her side, but it jolted him.

"Later then, sweetness." A soft whistle escaped his lips and Elle felt herself sink deep into sleep and sedation. She wondered if she would make up because the blood was pooling up around her wound.

--

Author's Note: Don't hate me for another cliffhanger. I just use them to draw you in. Also torture. *sheilds self* The next chapter should be up sometime tomorrow.


	12. From One Hell Into Another

CHAPTER 12: From One Hell Into Another

Elle felt herself awaken. Her body was slightly numb from whatever ability Old Man Gray had used on her. As she tried to move her fingers they felt like she was moving them jello. Her arms remained on the ground as she could barely pick them up. Both felt like lead weights. Her vision was blurry as if she were looking at the scene through a dirty and foggy window screen. She couldn't help noticing the lack of arrow sticking from her. There was no pain there either. Another numbness though.

"I thought you had given up." Gabriel's words sounded far off in the distance, but she knew he was close. She watched Samson Gray taking the knife he had used to slice part of her head open. He made sure it was sharp. Or was he sharpening it? Elle couldn't tell.

"Yeah, well, me too." Samson gave a quaint smile at the woman lying on the floor. Elle moaned half heartedly. The numbness was wearing off in the worse spots. Her head now throbbed in the worse way.

"Elle?" Gabriel's voice pierced through the pain. Her eyes searched to find him, but it was hard through the pain and numbness.

"Oh don't worry. The arrow didn't kill her. Missed all the important stuff. Pulled it out too. She'll die either way though. Whether it is by bleeding to death or by me taking her shiny ability, who can tell?" A soft ominous chuckle was forced out leading to a faint cough.

"And Luke?" Gabriel could barely get the poor boy's name out. The numbness had stricken him too.

"Well he'll be fine. I just sedated him. Haven't decided if he was worth killing. You both were such a challenge. Hell your girl nearly killed me Gabriel." He glanced at Elle giving her a perverted grin. "Maybe I was wrong about her." Last sentence more to himself than he turned his attention on his son.

"What's the point?" Gabriel Gray slurred as if he were drunk. Samson gripped his knife.

"Immortality. You're my second chance." He declared gleefully.

"At what?" Elle's vision became more clear of the scene. How many arrows were stuck in her Gabriel's chest? Maybe five or six. She squeaked as she felt the arrow wound's pain seep into her. It stung a lot. She could even feel the wetness of her own blood against the black shirt. "Destroying more lives? Killing more people? You were so quick to give up."

"Yes, well now I see I can be more, do more. If only I had more time." He smiled to himself as he came over to Gabriel. "And all I need is that ability." He roughly pulled against his son's head allowing their eyes to lock. The knife almost pressed to his forehead.

Elle's vision became clear. She saw Samson struggle to push the knife to his forehead. As he tried with force he breathed and gasped heavily. Gabriel gave a villainous smile that stated Sylar was back and he wanted to play. Elle felt something inside her well up. She attempted to move her arms again trying to roll on her side. She watched as Sylar moved his head forward sending Samson away from him. A gasp escaped the old man's mouth. He gave his father a victorious half smile as he started to pull the arrows out. His shoulders rolled as the second to last arrow was pulled.

"You can move." Samson stated as another groan was heard further away. Luke was coming to as well. Elle rolled onto her stomach holding back a scream of pain. Her fingers outstretched to shock the person who had tried to kill them all, but she was still too weak.

"I can." A dangerous and killer look was shot at the father who abandoned him. He held the last arrow in his hand triumphantly. He gave out a quaint laugh. "I thought you would know when someone was playing possum." Elle tried to focus on the scene or stand up. Anything to help. "I'm not so weak after all." A quick flick of the arrow as if it were a magic wand gave the tubes from his oxygen tank a good tight place around Samson's neck. He gasped attempting to pull them off. Sylar only ignored him.

To Elle's surprise he bent down to her level stroking her hair. There wasn't a hint of emotion in his eyes, but he still was helping her. His eyes fell on the cut on her forehead. He helped Elle up so she could lean on his shoulder. Her stomach wound was bad, but not deep. He grinned placing a kiss on her forehead. Elle winced because it stung, but she knew he was doing it out of comfort.

"Neither of us is weak." Sylar concluded catching Luke's eye as he got up. Immediately Luke knew what to do. His eyes were already wide seeing that Elle was badly injured.

"Please, I need that power." Samson begged still struggling to get the tubes off. Luke passed him going to Elle's other side so they could help her out of the hell hole. "I don't want to die. It won't kill you if I take it." Sylar shook his head.

"You failed to realize dear old Dad that just because you're so heartless not to love anyone in your life doesn't mean anyone else can't." A soft look into Elle's eyes told her Gabriel was coming back strong or maybe this was Sylar having goo goo eyes. "You hurt someone I love and I can't forgive you for that. Just like I can't forgive you for what you did to my mother." They started to leave. Elle wobbled on Luke and Gabriel for support. She wanted the numbness back.

"Please," Samson asked with little breath left. "Kill me." They were so close to the door. Elle had her arms around the two brothers. Gabriel gave a quick turn.

"You will die, but slowly and painfully. Alone knowing no one _cares_." A sharp tone was given to the word cares. Again he planted a kiss on Elle's forehead and they left the old man with just that.

"Nice work." Elle breathed feeling pain overwhelm her. She stumbled down the steps.

"I thought I told you not to get hurt." Gabriel said with complete concern. "He steadied her on the gravel. "Blocking me from getting shot by arrows counts as getting hurt."

"Well my body reacted before my mind did." Elle stated. She closed her eyes falling against Luke. The boy looked up at Gabriel as she panted.

"She lost a lot of blood." Gabriel stated deciding to pick her up into his arms to carry her as if she were a small child.

"What are we going to do, bro?" Luke asked, serious about the situation. Gabriel shook his head looking into Elle's fleeting eyes. Her slow breath attempting to quicken with no luck.

"I don't know." He really didn't. Taking her to a hospital was something they could do. Hunting gone wrong. It was believable. Then Gabriel shot a look at Luke. "Did you just call me bro?" Luke stepped back as if the Luke would kill him.

"Well I was thinking . . .since you know we're brothers . . . " Luke then gave a nervous smile.

"I've been lied to by people before. We should test that out." Elle was out of the conversation as she saw several armored vechiles begin to pull up to the house.

"Guys, not to interrupt the oh so important bickering of brothers, but we got trouble." They turned as several armed men surrounded them. Luke stood staring out with Gabriel holding Elle beside him staring as they were surrounded.

"Well this can't be good." Luke spoke out. Then Elle saw a car door open to a limo. Out walked an all too familiar face.

"Hello Gabriel and Elle. And Luke. It's good to see you." The familiar voice called with a grin.

"Oh shit." Elle whispered. They had went from one hell to another.

--

Author's Note: Another cliffhanger! So it begins. Who is this familar person Elle speaks of? Will Elle be alright? Are Luke and Gabriel actually brothers or was Samson mistaken by this? Any ideas where this story is going?! Loved to hear what you think! :)


	13. One Of Them

CHAPTER 13: One of Them

Elle felt the metal stitches in her cranium pinch badly. The IV in her arm was always uncomfortable back in her days at the Company and it looked like IV never changed. Neither did the Company. Despite what Gabriel had claimed about burning Company headquarters to the ground Elle was in the Company again. She moaned feeling the arrow wound was slowly closing up.

Still it hurt. She had gotten blood back in her after vaguely hearing that she needed a whole lot of it. Hell she had been rushed in so fast Gabriel had barely had time to say goodbye. She stared up at the ceiling from the cold bed. She would have thought in rebuilding a dank dark place they would make it more welcoming, but no. It was still as cold and uncomfortable as before.

She still wasn't sure how they had found them. Though the founder of the new and slightly improved Company did have some insight into the mind of Gabriel Gray.

"Angela Petrelli." The name slipped off the young female's tongue as if it were a curse. The woman who fired her. The woman who manipulated Gabriel. She was now pulling all the strings when it came to keeping Elle healthy. A groan escaped her pale lips. She hated being helpless and it had been a whole day since she had arrived. Since she had seen Gabriel and Luke.

The sound of footsteps caused Elle to look out the large window. She wished she could get up and just leave. Found Gabriel at the very least, but she couldn't. She was bed ridden until further notice. She watched as a man in a white doctor's coat glanced in her direction. His rounded stern looking face caused the young woman concern and comfort all at once.

"Good morning, Miss Bishop." He had opened the door already coming in with a clip board in hand. He switched it aimlessly from one hand to the other. "I'm Dr. Cho. We already met, but I was a hundred multiples and in black cameo at the time." The Oreintal man grinned wide.

"You're a multiple." She asked lazily as he checked her vitals. All the wires stuck in her and her heart rate. He scribbled something down.

"You bet." Another grin. He seemed like a happy guy. "Former medic in the military, but now I work for Mrs. Petrelli and all the nice people here." He shone a little light in her eye, which she hadn't expected. A wave of electricity coursed through her finger tips.

"Yeah, nice." She remembered all the bad things the Company and Angela Petrell had done to her. They were far from nice. That's when she had to ask him a question that had been haunting her. "Gabriel and Luke?"

"Both fine. They've been set up in housing." Housing? She moved his hand from her face giving him a questioning look. Since when did the Company provide housing? "Don't worry Mrs. Petrelli is going to fix all this."

"And what makes you think she can fix things. Nothing was ever broken." Of course her and Gabriel were about the most broken a person could be, but Mama Petrelli couldn't mend all the problems of the world. She wasn't Wonder Woman.

"Your situation I mean. Jobless, homeless. She helped me out when I was booted from the military. Got me clean and somber. I owe her." She watched the guy closely as he kept his happy go lucky grin. "Well I'm all done with you. You should be ready for a mission in about three days."

"Mission?" No way in hell she was about to join the Company again. After all they had done to her. Helped her make a monster, fire her, cause her all unnecessary pain and suffering. Dr. Cho just gave a stupid grin and vanished in a thick of flashing white light. She flinched at the sight. That was new.

"Zeke is able to multiple himself at will. He can control every action of his counter parts." Angela Petrelli stepped into the room as Elle sat up. She was wearing a wool petticoat and a black skirt. Her hair up in a tight bun as always. "He can also bring "home" his doubles at will as well. You'll meet the real Dr. Cho later." Elle simply glared at Petrelli. "Nice to see you are doing well Elle."

"What am I doing here? And where are Gabriel and Luke?" She wondered in frustration. She gripped her stomach wincing at the pain.

"Easy Elle. Don't want to reopen the wound." She shot a dangerous look at the woman. "We got to you just in time. You would have been a goner if I hadn't dreamed about you and the boys." She shifted to place herself against the pillow.

"So why did you bring me here? You fired me from the Company remember?" She cocked an eyebrow wondering.

"I want to offer you your job back." Elle puffed and rolled her eyes. "We're forming a new Company with a new goal. Capture and relocate others like us before Nathan can." Elle shot a look up.

"Nathan? Your son, Nathan? Is he the bad guy now?" A soft sigh escaped Angela Petrelli's mouth.

"I'm afraid so. And Suresh has found a way to extract an ability from a person and transfer it to another host killing them." Elle looked down at her hands. It was Sylar minus the Gabriel. "Elle we need you to come back as an agent. Help save people."

"And what makes you think I'm going to do that? After what you did to me. After what you did to Gabriel." Everything she did to Gabriel. Every lie, every push.

"You can have a normal life." Elle gave an odd expression to which Angela responded with a tiny laugh. "Well as normal a life as any one like you two could have. A job, a home, family. Safe and happy." Elle watched her hands buzz with electricity then she looked up at Angela. "I will give you three days to think about it. After that this opportunity will expire, so you decide now Elle. Will you be one of us again or on the outside looking in?" And with that Mrs. Petrelli left Elle Bishop with her decision.

--

Elle moaned thinking about Angela's request. The Company must have been low on recruits if she was trying to get Elle back in Company girl mode, but then again Angela Petrelli always had an agenda. Maybe she saw Elle was going to be valuable in the future. With those dreams of hers nobody ever knew if Angela was true to her word or not.

She found herself startled by the tap against the glass window. She looked up to see Luke smiling like an idiot and waving. He quickly ran toward the entrance of her room disappearing from her sight for the moment. The door opened with an overeager bang. Elle winced at the moment she wasn't too fond of loud heavy doors opening and closing. At least Dr. Cho had been decent enough not to use one going out.

"Elle!" Again a wince. Apparently the cells echoed like before. Luke bounced over like a happy kid caught in a candy store. He was wearing new clothes. Not very nice new clothes, the jeans had holes in the knees and the Ramones shirt he wore looked like it had a mustard stain by the collar, but they were different from the other clothes he had been wearing. "You're okay. Gabriel said you were, but I didn't believe him. Seeing is believing right?"

"Well you sound awfully chirper." She told the young boy shifting herself to turn toward him as he pulled up a chair from the corner.

"Well, yeah. This place is like," Words escaped him as he looked around the room. He just lifted his hand making an excited noise. Elle had to smile. It actually made her happy to see him happy. "I mean people with abilities fighting together. It's like a dream come true. And there are so many cool abilities, like Dr. Cho." He grinned pulling his legs together.

"Yeah it seems cool and all until they make you do something you'll regret." She looked at her hands still buzzing with energy and electricity. She was healing fast and the faster she healed the quicker she wanted out of the cage. She watched as Luke's hand was placed on hers.

"Past is past Elle. I heard you were a part of the old group." Elle looked into his big brown eyes having a million questions, but she shook most of them away.

"So I hear they were setting you and Gabriel up in housing. Find anything you like?" She watched Luke retreat his hand to scratch his head.

"Well, Gabe got you two hooked up in an apartment on the east side. He invited me to stay, but I'm not sure. I might end up in this group home thing with guys my age." Elle blinked slowly. She saw the uncertainty in his eyes. A should I stay or should I go type of deal. "Oh and Gabriel and I had a blood test. He actually is my half brother, just in case you were wondering." She had been just a little, but she figured it was true. The two shared something in common.

"So what? You joining the big leagues, kiddo?" She asked him giving him a sweet smile. He responded with an equally sweet smile.

"I guess, I mean only if you guys do. I really wouldn't be here if you guys weren't here." She laughed slightly.

"Liar." She rubbed his head, messing up what hair he had on top. He laughed quietly until he glanced over to the window and let out a sigh.

"Looks like your knight in shining armor is here." Elle glanced up to only see a glimpse of Gabriel before he disappeared. "I won't keep him waiting." Gabriel came into sight letting the door open with a hard thump. The door had to weigh a lot. Everyone always seemed to push it hard to open it.

Elle saw Gabriel standing close to the door holding a tray of what looked like food, though the smell could have told her different. Luke turned getting up from his seat.

"See you around, Elle." He smacked Gabriel on the shoulder when he left. "Take care of her my brother from another mother." With a quick laugh he left leaving Gabriel a bit baffled and annoyed to no end. Elle gave a quiet giggle.

"I was wondering when he would use that." She said with a soft laugh. He shook his head coming to sit where Luke had.

"I'm wondering when he will stop using it." Again she laughed and he smiled glad to see she was alright. "You hungry?" She wrinkled her nose in that moment.

"Not for whatever you have." She stated trying to deny the food he placed on her lap.

"It's just oatmeal, sliced apples, and some oj in this neat little cup." He shook the plastic cup at her. "You really need to eat." She smiled again sighing.

"Fine." She stated grabbing the spoon from the tray. She wasn't happy about it, but she had to eat. Besides she was starving. She dipped her spoon into the mush.

Only Gabriel could get her to eat oatmeal. Not even her grandmother could force the fowl smelling gunk on her. And she had loved her grandmother to death, literally. She downed it shivering and making a face. He let out a soft laugh.

"You've been shot in the stomach with an arrow and had your brain nearly sliced open and a little oatmeal is the worst of it?" He shook his head.

"Hey, you try some and tell me it isn't awful." She offered shoving the spoon in his direction. It smelt like apples and cinnamon, which was usually a good combo.

"No thanks. Had my breakfast." Elle watched him lean back in the chair.

She continued eating. Every couple seconds her eyes would glance at him. His eyes were always carefully watching her. In a way she liked it. She felt good with him so close to her. Every time they were a part she always was anxious. She needed to know if they would see each other again. The hot liquid coiled down her throat.

"Elle," His voice was steady as were his hands halting her from taking anymore of the horrible meal. "We need to talk." She glanced at him and nodded. She already knew what was going to come out of his mouth.

"You're going to join." She said placing her spoon on the gray old tray. He looked up at her wondering how she knew. "The Company I mean." She shook her head huffing a bit. His hand clutched hers.

"Elle, it's the only way for us to put our abilities to good use." She looked at him her heart fluttering. Her eyes searched his for a better reason. "For us to be even close to normal."

"Face it Gabriel were aren't normal. I led a man to die at your hands, you murdered my father, I put people in comas after I thought you were dead, and even our love life isn't normal. I mean our first kiss was in a dead man's house not to mention what followed afterwards." She gave a soft smile remembering that day as he did the same. Both shook out of it quickly. "Even so, can we really trust Mrs. Petrelli?" She gripped his hand.

"No we can't, but you can trust me." He gave her a half smile and it hit her.

"Oh right. You're the human lie detector now." He grinned at her remark. Still she wasn't sure.

"So what? We help them catch people like us in order to protect them from Nathan and his bogeymen." She wasn't sure if she wanted to be doing that the rest of her life. She held her head as she thought about everything at once. "I don't know if I want to be doing this for the rest of my life." She had gotten a taste of life without the Company and actually liked it. Now he was asking her to go back to it.

"I'm not asking you to do it forever." He held her hand tight. She looked down at it. "You're good at it Elle. This Company thing and so am I. Maybe this is what we were meant to do. Together." She stared into his heartfelt soulful brown eyes. Just as wishing as Luke's.

She leaned in to kiss him. She held his face gently as her lips moved against his. Would it be so bad? She had only grown up with this. Bag and tags were over. They were relocating and bringing in. No force. She would be a good guy. As long as she had Gabriel she could handle it. She broke from their kiss, but he managed to sneak a single peck in before she spoke.

"Okay. I'm in." She decided hoping this would be good. He smiled.

"Awesome you'll love the apartment I got for us, well Mrs. Petrelli got." She nodded slowly taking his hand.

"What about Luke?" She asked and watched as his brow wrinkled. "I mean he's your brother. He was saying how he has options, but I kind of feel bad if we exclude him from our lives." Our lives? It felt weird to say.

"Whatever he decides. We have an extra bedroom whatever he decides." It was looking like the brothers had a lot more to go in the bonding department. Elle smiled picking up a slice of apple. Gabriel took it between his teeth from her hands knowing into it.

"You'll eat the apple, but not the oatmeal. Big liar." She pouted as Gabriel ate the apple slice happily glad he had a somewhat normal relationship.

--

Three whole days of rest. Elle smiled looking at her old bed as several versions of Zeke Cho cleared out the room for the next guest. She wasn't sure who that was going to be, but it wasn't her. Today she would be going home to her apartment. Correction the apartment she shared with Gabriel.

Luke had decided to room with boys his age. Luke was calling it a fraternity because he was going to get his GED to go to college in the next couple months. That'd sure as hell be exciting for him. College and Company. Out of the corner of her eye the young blonde saw the devil woman.

"Elle, good. Are you ready?" Angela Petrelli asked. Slight frustration entered her expression.

"To go home. Yes, I've been hearing good things about this apartment." Gabriel wouldn't shut up about it.

"Not home. Not yet." More fury came to her.

"Mrs. Petrelli, no offense, but the Company is not an excellent place for relaxation. I've been here for three whole days looking at old Us Weeklys and watching daytime soap operas because that's all that was on. Half of them were in Spanish. And I don't speak Spanish!" The lights flickered. Angela glanced up.

"Well I see your sprits are up." A bit of sarcasm lingered in her breath. "I'm sorry, but something has come up. A young girl who is the niece of a personal friend has been kidnapped." She handed the young woman the picture of the smiling brunette child holding an umbrella. She had to be at least ten maybe more. "Kimberly Kane was abducted yesterday evening from her home in Georgia. The kidnappers are holding her for ransom just outside Atlanta."

"How is this _our_ business Mrs. Petrelli?" She groaned pissed at the agenda. Angela looked at the inside of the room Elle once was held in.

"Kimberly has the ability to become liquid. Nathan's men will be after her in this time of panic." Elle nodded. It was a good reason once explained.

"So when am I meeting my partner? One of us and one of them right?" Angela turned to meet Elle's gaze.

"We've changed that rule. Too dangerous for regular people." The young woman actually liked this new part of the Company.

"So another person like us then." God she hoped it was Gabriel.

"Yes and you are very familiar with this person." The two turned to face the person walking toward them. Both stood in shock at the other.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." They said in time.

--

Author's Note: Holy Crap! Another cliffhanger! Who saw that coming? Any way things are about to get a lot more interesting for Elle and her new partner. Who could it be?

Cookies for those who guess right. Keep up reviewing you guys rule!


	14. The Deep South

CHAPTER 14: The Deep South

Peter Petrelli. It just had to be Peter Petrelli. Elle shifted in her seat on the airplane. Two minutes were already gone with the plane air bound. Peter was not liking this any better than she was. Somehow Mama Petrelli had got it in her to stick Elle with her good son. Peter shifted looking out the window, probably wishing for the ability of flight again.

Elle shook a bit as the plane shifted, an electric wave coursing her fingers. Of course Peter noticed it. His eyes shot a look at her. His teeth set in a disgruntled hard line.

"Did you want the plane to go down?" He whispered harshly toward the startled young woman.

"I'm a bit jumpy." She told him equally harsh. She pushed herself back in her seat. "And when I get jumpy I get nervous and when I get nervous I buzz. Deal with it." She snatched the in flight magazine from the pocket in front of her. Peter just turned back toward his view.

"How can I deal with a psychopath?" He mumbled under this breath. Her fingers buzzed more at the annoyance causing the plane to falter. Peter then looked back over at Elle.

"Calling me names doesn't help." She whispered toward him. A few people were wondering what was going on. The flight attendants assured everyone things were okay. "And I don't really get why I couldn't have Gabriel as a partner. He gets me."

"Mom thought you two would go on a killing spree. Two killers on one team isn't healthy." Peter's words made sense. Angela Petrelli didn't want bodies piling up.

"So you're here to keep me in line?" Elle raced a brow at him with a quick grin when he nodded slightly.

"Not like I like it either. Would have preferred anyone other than you. Except Sylar." Gabriel's former name hissed on his lips causing a love feeling up in Elle. She remembered looking into Sylar's eyes and seeing that he loved her too. The killer in him loved her. It didn't take long for something to acquire to the young woman.

"Didn't your daddy take your powers away because you were a bad boy?" She asked tilting her head to the side. Peter just stared at her for a moment like he was being stern with her.

"Yes, but I injected myself with the formula and got a synthetic ability." Elle looked at Peter encouraging him to continue. "I have the ability of whatever person I touch, but if I touch someone else it changes so please don't touch me."

"Done a long time ago." Elle stated rolling her eyes.

"You weren't saying that some months ago." She couldn't even fathom he was referring to his time in the Company's cell. Her mouth formed into a rounded O. She slapped the magazine on her lap.

"Oh no you don't. Don't you dare bring that up." A loud whisperwas directed at Peter Petrelli who continued to turn his face away from her. "I used you like you used me." It was a lie and if Gabriel were there listening he would have wanted to kill them both. Peter turned looking into Elle's face confused.

"No you're lying." Elle watched as Peter scratched his head. "I think he said it would tingle." It didn't take her long to realize.

"Gabriel!" Some people glanced over. "You touched him. Took his power."

"Yeah sure, but wait . . .you lied about using me. Tell the truth." He now shifted from anger Peter to overly curious Peter. His expression was cute, but Elle shook her head.

"Why do you deserve the truth?" She asked him folding her arms over the gray silk string top.

"You deserve to say it out loud. It will make you feel better." She highly doubted it, but she decided to follow through.

"I liked you Peter. I really did. All the stupid flirting and playing wasn't too farfetched." She turned from his face. "It was like knowing how he felt when you betrayed me." She closed her eyes not seeing the stewardess was close by.

"Can I get you two something to drink?" Elle pressed her hands to the armrest and flickered her eyes open.

"Both waters." Peter told the attractive woman.

"No. No water for me." She told the woman slowly. "A coke please." Once the woman was gone leaving Peter a half filled cup of water and Elle her coke she looked at Peter. "Water and I don't mix." She down half the liquid. "Do we need to figure out where we are going before all this goes down?" She was trying to get rid of the fact she just admitted to once having romantic feelings for Peter Petrelli.

"Okay," He got the idea. For some reason he wasn't as angry with Elle as he was before. At least she was trying. He grabbed the manila folder from under his seat. "They're holding her in a house on this street," He showed her the name having given up a while ago on having to pronounce it. Elle simply nodded.

"So are we going in there guns a blazing?" She asked curiously.

"I'd like to keep this as low profile as possible." Elle nodded looking away.

"Did mama tell you that?" Peter rolled his eyes.

"Look Elle just because you were an agent before doesn't mean . . ." He paused not really sure how to finish the sentence. Elle turned to look at him. "Let's just do our job. Get the girl away from all the bad guys." Elle nodded. She could do that. She could even do that with Peter. What she could not do was sit on this plane with him for another hour.

--

Elle positioned herself close to the black attired Peter Petrelli in the ranch style home in the hot as hell Georgia location. She listened carefully to the inner workings of the household. Mumbles of the kidnappers were scattered throughout the home. She pressed the gun on her holster to her hip.

"Let's try not to turn this into a bloodbath." Peter mumbled turning to her with a pretty serious look on his usually brooding face. Elle gave a quick smile.

"But those are my favorite kinds of baths." He ignored the comment taking his own gun to a ready position. His hand steadied on the door knob knowing Elle was not going to listen to him. As long as the girl got out okay it was fine with him.

He opened the door slowly using Sylar's telekinesis to make the door steady. He walked in slowly with Elle in toe peeking around the corner of the home slowly. Boxes were everywhere and it looked as though whatever person lived there was about to move out. A good decision a little too late. Their footsteps were slight in number and Elle knew they had to be extra careful.

Peter carefully watched around the corner remembering Sylar's shiny new ability to bend into his surroundings. The former serial killer had listed the abilities he had acquired for Peter's sake, but mostly for Elle's. Peter could understand the pair's attraction. Both completely crazy psychos with parental issues. Match made in hell if you asked him. His hand tightened around the door frame to the kitchen. A counter top with four bar stools was in his sight. Three of the four kidnappers sat on the stools digging into a bag of potato chips. The fourth larger than average kidnappers was close to the sink with the kidnapped girl whose eyes shone brightly over the counter as the man clutched her arm.

"You got any idea when Kane is going to offer up the loot?" One asked rocking the stool as he leaned forward for some chips.

"I told him it better be soon." One of the better looking kidnappers with a black leather coat and pressed jeans stated making his way over to the girl. She stared at him furiously. He smiled ruffling her hair. "Or his niece is going to be all in pieces." She spit at his face and he back handed her letting her scream.

Peter tensed, but did nothing. He was waiting for the right time. Elle shifted beside him almost falling as her foot twisted on something. A quiet little noise came from that. Peter glared at Elle as he saw two of the kidnappers get up to check out the sound. The woman gave an apologetic look, but Peter wasn't buying it. He pressed his hand to her clothed shoulder letting the two of them blend into the beige wall.

When the kidnappers came around the corner Peter nodded. It was Elle's time to shine. A bolt of lightning hit their necks hard causing them to stutter and choke their way to the floor. The blonde broke from Peter to pick up one of the kidnapper's guns, but he was not as asleep as Elle would have liked. He swiped her ankle to the floor letting the woman eat the wooden ground.

The other two kidnappers immediately noticed the interruption mumbling words to each other. The big guy picked up the struggling girl. The clean cut kidnappers shot a round at Peter who was pulling out his own weapon. Peter was shot two times before he got his own shot out. The kidnapper was hit in the shoulder. Peter walked over slowly looking at the bigger guy, who watched as the two bullets fell from Peter's heart.

"What are you?" He asked in a thick southern accent. He pulled the guys arms apart with his telekinesis letting the girl drop to the floor.

"The good guy." Peter told him lifting him up to the wall. He smiled looking down at the girl who was glad to see him.

"Look out!" She shouted just as a bolt of red electricity soared toward him. Peter feel against the window on the other side of the kitchen hitting his head hard. Elle steadied herself up stumbling as best she could with her hurt ankle.

"Hey you're Bishop right?" The young woman with the dark clothing and smug look asked standing next to a fairly angry looking Ando Masahash. "So let me ask you this, how far are you willing to go to be a Company girl again?" With that she disappeared. "Even to be on the same side as the man who killed your Daddy." She whispered now behind her.

Elle didn't have long to realize what was going on before Rachel Mills was throwing her toward the same window as Peter had been. A teleporter and another Electro was all she need at the moment. Peter caught her though. That had to count for something. Peter cussed under his breath nearly throwing Elle. Oh she had made contact with him.

He shot a bolt of lightning at Rachel then stared at Ando who was holding Kimberly now. Elle merely looked up. Her ankle and more were sore now. Ando held a gun to the girl's head.

"You try anything Peter and the girl's a goner." Peter's hands buzzed with blue electric fury. He stared at the girl putting his hand to his side. "That's a good boy." He mocked. Peter stared at the girl who seemed too scared to move.

"You don't need to be scared Kim." He told her. "You are special like all of us." Ando scrunched his face as if wondering what Peter was saying. He knew the girl was special, but girls got scared easily and this one was more than frightened. She was shaking in his arms. "I saw how you stood up to the kidnappers. You're a brave girl. Don't let him scare you into being weak."

Suddenly Ando felt his arms become very empty. Fluid washed over him as the girl reformed next to Peter. Elle lifted herself to a sitting position massaging her ankle. The girl took Peter's hand.

"I'm not a goner." She said in an all too serious tone. "I'm a fighter."

"Bullshit." Rachel cussed as Ando started to shoot his lightning at Kim, but was interrupted by a kick to the face.

Rachel turned only to find herself thrown across the room by a non-existent hand. Ando screamed out loud holding his arm. Elle's eyes widened as she saw the familiar marks form on Ando's arm. Rachel grabbed his hand giving Elle a soar look before they were gone.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" Peter asked with a sour look, but Elle was just happy to see the help.

"We were in the neighborhood." Gabriel said with a quaint little smile. "Thought you could use some help."

"You guys were in Louisiana." Peter shot a look at Luke and their own mark, a dark skinned man with board features. "How is that in the neighborhood?"

"It's all south Petrelli." Luke mocked gently. All was good as far as Elle could tell.


	15. Sense of Fun

CHAPTER 15: Sense of Fun

Boredom washed over Elle Bishop as she sat in the hotel room. Their jet back to New York had been delayed due to one of the other partner pairs having to use it for a trip to Australia. She slide her fingers through her blonde hair watching as Luke and Kim sat on the bed flipping through cartoon channels until the thirteen year old steadied his hand.

As the soft sound of high pitched noises entered the room the three guys came in. Armando Inyne was a board sort of man with large legs and arms. He was full of muscle, but still slender. He had been debating whether or not his ability of super jumping would be more useful to the Company or in dance where he always wanted to be. Armando pressed his fingers against the wall turning away from Elle as he walked in.

Peter and Gabriel stood firmly by the door motioning Elle out of the two bedroom hotel room. She got up slowly from the bed as her and Armando changed positions. She closed the door behind her seeing Luke give a suspicious look at her.

"I called Mom." Peter said clearing his throat as he looked at the two. "The flight leaves at twelve tomorrow." He tucked his hands in his jean pockets looking over Gabriel who probably knew the whole deal.

"Armando is still debating on joining the Company ranks. He's powerful, not exactly the brightest bulb, but strong. He was headed our way anyways." Gabriel shifted closer to Elle who his eyes connected with often.

"So what now? We sleep the night away?" Elle still had way too much buzz in here. She had missed out on a good fight. Half of it at least. Water girl had managed to save herself thanks to Peter's empathic words of encouragement.

"That's usually happens after a job well done." She was protesting as soon as Petrelli said the word usually.

"I'm not tired and neither of you should be." She stepped in front of Peter. "Can't you feel the energy Petrelli?" Her fingers sparked ever so slightly as they trailed along the boy's chest playfully, much to Gabriel Gray's dismay. "The buzz in the system that makes your body scream for more." Her fingers crackled against his cheek. "A good party. A good buzz."

Peter stared at Elle as if feeling the buzz himself. The lightning storm crackling inside his body. Gabriel stepped closer to Elle as she smiled and messed with Peter's dark locks. Peter found the fact she used the static to make his one strand stand straight up less than amusing. Elle gave a genuine girly giggle. Gabriel let out an almost content little smile at her fun.

"Can we? Can we go clubbing?" Her question was directed at Gabriel biting her lip and giving him pray hands. "Pretty please baby?" Her electricity and finger trailed his jaw line letting the energy erupt inside Gabriel. Somehow he liked it.

"Are you suggesting we leave Luke to look after the two captives?" Peter asked breaking the couple's contact. The young woman pivoted her head.

"Just for a couple hours, Petey." She smiled trying to convince the party pooper they needed this. "Come on. I've been locked in the Company my whole life with no fun. No alcohol or dancing." She swayed her hips slowly side to side to mimicked the dancing she never got to have. "At least once let me have that normal scene." Peter shifted his body knowing how Elle felt in a way. Not being able to leave the Company walls for any reason must have been hard. He had faced it himself under her thumb, but she had been her own prisoner.

"Fine." Elle beamed as he gave in. "But you expose us and I am pulling us out of there."

"Ug, you sound like my father." She rolled her eyes, but kept the hint of a grin in her eyes.

"And he's dead." Gabriel pointed out letting something slip from inside him. A sense of fun.

--

"Is there any way to tell how many of these she drank?" Peter lifted the martini glass up to Gabriel as he sucked on his third beer. The young man shrugged.

"I lost count." His fingers clutched around the neck of the bottle at the dark bar top counter in the fairly loud Georgia club scene. "I wish the bartender kept them there so we could tell what we're in for."

"A wild ride." Peter suggested pivoting to watch a slightly drunk Elle Bishop dance with a few other girls on the getting crowded dance floor.

Her body moved forward and back in slight whirling motions. Her legs extended in time with the techno beat. Her head bobbing as the music got louder. Her arms would extend as she twirled. As if to catch herself from the slow decent she may experience in her tipsy state.

"For me, not you." Gabriel told his girlfriend's work partner as he tilted his head watching her legs extend showing her skin. He was enjoying the dark blue skirt Elle wore for the occasion.

"Well we're kind of sharing her now." Peter turned back toward the bartender switching to water now since he was going to have to drive the couple back to the room. He cringed remembering he was sharing a room with Gabriel and Elle. Gabriel looked at him perplexed. "You know between work and personal life." Gabriel nodded turning his attention back to her.

Peter could see in the reformed villain's eyes she was the reason he was working for the Company. Without her there would not be a Gabriel only the villain within him. The killer within. Only Sylar. Gabriel never liked sharing his toys. Even when he was little he found the concept of sharing hard to grasp. Sharing Elle with Peter would be difficult. Especially when he thought Elle could get stolen by the young man. He looked Peter over quickly having a twang of jealously well up inside him.

"Right." Gabriel mumbled hoping Peter would be no competition for him. Peter sighed thanking the bartender for the water when it came. Gabriel polished off the third beer quickly.

"She's a handful isn't she?" Gabriel was a bit taken aback by Petrelli's words. He found those words fairly untrue.

"Not at all." He shifted on his bar stool looking as Elle whirled herself around. His heart faltered seeing her corn colored hair flip in the air. "You just have to know how to handle her Petrelli."

"Well I'm clueless in that department." He admitted to the man. "I haven't figured Elle out yet, though I suppose that was easy for you." He knew Gabriel's ability of understanding. How things worked. How people worked.

"Not as easy as I would have liked." He admitted softly as the bartender asked if he wanted another drink. He declined. "You know as well as I do Peter, that Elle is not someone everyone "gets"." Peter blinked watching as Gabriel watched his electric beauty move on the dance floor.

"Yes she's a lot like me, but she's also different. She has a different approach to life then I do and she is one of the only people in my life that keeps me guessing." A small smile crossed his face as he turned to Peter. "It excites me. Not knowing all the time. Not knowing what she'll do next. If she'll be all sugar or throw in some spice. She excites me like no person has ever done before. Or ever could and I love her for that."

Peter had to admit for a former serial killer when he talked about Elle he seemed to become like every other love struck guy in the world. Like he was with Simone and Caitlin. Two of the greatest loves of his life who were now as good as gone. Elle was a strange one though. He could see the electric firefly getting in with the serial killer. And what Gabriel said was true. She was as exciting as a sociopath with daddy issues and electric powers got.

"Gabriel." Elle was stumbling toward the man. He quickly stood up to catch her. He caught both her hands as she lifted her head to smile at him. "Dance with me?" She asked giving him a cute and seductive look. He didn't deny her of her fun.

She lead him to an open spot on the dance floor. She used only a bit of her sparks to get the people moved. She positioned herself in front of him. Her hands reached up to wrap around his neck. Her fingers coursed through his dark hair in the normal uneletric way. She pressed her ear to his heart listening to his heartbeat for a moment. The beautiful lub dub sound filled her ears and own heart with utter satisfaction. A sweetened sound escaped her mouth.

She smiled looking up at her man who moved the blonde hair from her lightly made up face. She ran her fingers down his chest tickling him on her way down. Her eyes carefully watched his reaction. Back in the Company when she shocked her toys they would respond in many different ways. Gabriel wasn't so much a toy. She was more his toy and she knew it. His anchor to being Gabriel Gray. He needed something to stay sane and Elle found herself his own medicine. Gabriel's reaction was expected, but exciting.

Gabriel's face found relief in the shocks, in the pain. Somehow the reaction provoked Elle to hold his face giving him buzzes. Just little ones that would only kill a fly. She stood on her toes to kiss him. He always kissed her back, but she had never gave him a special kiss. Her upper lip rolled out a little shock against his bottom lip. A moan escaped his mouth. Elle felt a shock come into her. He mimicked her special kiss. Her body buzzed for more. A roll of lust came over her like a dangerous tidal wave. She suppressed it somehow. Maybe he was suppressing her by giving her a very intense and overwhelming kiss.

"Wow," The word escaped her mouth with a loose breath. "You're a bad boy." She twirled around facing away from him so she could slow dance away from his lips. Too tempting.

"I never wanted to be." He whispered putting his arms around her waist. "You know that."

"But bad girls make bad boys. I was a bad girl. I could never give you what you wanted back then." Gabriel knew she believed it, but he didn't want her too.

"You know I wanted you back then Elle. So much more then I do now I think." He cradling her chin wiping his hands down her body. "I'm still trying to get to that place. The place where I am Gabriel and full of hope. Where no one is betraying me and I can be happy with what I have."

"Take your time." She told him. "I'll always want you in every way. I never want to be the girl who betrayed you again. I want to live up to your idea of me." He couldn't believe she was saying all this and that it was true. He twirled her to face him seeing the coming of tears in her big blue eyes.

"Elle," He whispered moving the hair that fell to her eyes. "You're perfect. You have nothing to live up to. I only want you to stay." He kissed her. It was hard not to try and make Elle's tears disappear when he was looking at her angelic face. He held her face feeling their electricity combine. She gave a soft pleasure noise as she broke.

Her head leaned against the soft black shirt against his sweat ridden body. She knew Gabriel Gray probably preferred cold weather to hot. Though she was the opposite. She liked the fire and heat. She looked up smiling at her redemption.

"Do you think Peter would like to join in our fun?" She asked with a soft giggle. It broke the moment. Gabriel's face fell only slightly. "Only a joke. Don't be jealous. Where's your sense of fun?" It was very hard for Gabriel not to be jealous. It was in his nature though his sense of "fun" was only warming up with his new relationship.

--

Author's Note: Aw aren't they sweet? Some strange and overwhelming things are about to happen in the relationship that is Syelle in a few chapters. What shocking news is to come? Next few chapters might just be some fluff combined with drama, but who doesn't enjoy a bit of Syelle fluff? Please Review as always.


	16. Home Sweet Home

CHAPTER 16: Home Sweet Home

Jet lag and hangovers did not mix well. A loud auditable moan escaped the staggering Elle Bishop. Gabriel placed his hand between Elle's shoulder blades leading her through the Company doors. Peter had been the one to return Kim to her family and right about now her and her uncle were busy relocating to France. Armando had already turned down the Company offer to pursue his dance dreams in the city. Under a new name much to his dismay, but otherwise Nathan would find him, kill him, and give his power to some Nazi-like soldier.

Luke maneuvered behind the couple as Peter suggested they get something to eat. Elle had recalled the old Company having small eating quarters. One room with a microwave and a wobbly table, but that had been when they were pretending to be a paper company. Now instead of Primatech vans there were Helping Hands vans. Mrs. Petrelli was claiming the Company was a relocation program for down one their luck people. She wasn't too far off.

"Elle, food, want?" Three words in rapid succession were thrown at the young woman. She turned her head to face Luke and Peter who had changed into more casual street clothes on the jet.

"Not really too hunger. I just want to finally get home." She looked up at Gabriel shooting a winning smile. The two boys said nothing more and merely halled ass to the cafeteria. "You better be taking me home with you." Gabriel let out a soft chuckle.

"Where else would I want to take you? I've been waiting to show you the place for a good while now." He planted a soft kiss on her lips. Despite the pounding headache in Elle's head she kissed back good and hard letting her lips move in time with Gabriel Gray's. She didn't break until she saw a familiar face. Her face turned into an odd combination of confusion and anger.

"Elle?" She was two steps ahead of him. "Elle!" More steps followed as her hand extended shouting the man in the back with a light bolt of electric. He fell.

"Bennet!" Her face coursed into a mask of fury. He rolled onto his side as her hand extended again. "What are you doing here?!" Her own voice spun her head into a world of pain. She closed her eyes pressing her palm to her forehead.

"Elle calm down. He works here." That could not be Gabriel's voice telling her to calm down.

"He . . .killed you." She said through the thumping pain of her headache.

"It didn't take." Noah Bennet said through a little cough. "Oh and putting me in jail Elle brilliant idea except the Petrellis have way more power over the system. You should know that." Elle's fist sparked as her eyes fluttered open.

"First of all, shut up." Gabriel told Bennet sticking a finger as the man started to stand up. His hand closed around Elle's fist feeling the slight shocks disappear as he looked into her eyes. "Secondly I should have told you about Bennet before, but with work getting so carried away I didn't really have a chance." Elle shook her head looking toward her once and former partner.

"And the cheerleader?" She wondered if Claire would be showing up next saying she was a company gal as well.

"Claire is working for Nathan. Sandra is in a way as well. They think he's going to change everything." Bennet explained rubbing the back of his head. "You pack more of a punch then I remember Elle." A light smile appeared across his face. Elle held back her own grin.

"Probably should keep that in mind. You know just in case you decide to kill one of us again." Elle stated gripping Gabriel's hand and pulled him away. She stared out groaning still.

"I talked to him Elle. He's one of the heads of the Company now. Him and Claire are on different sides." He moved in front of her gripping her shoulders. "I won't let him hurt us anymore." Elle closed her eyes smoothing her palm over his own palm.

"Yeah, okay. Home, now, please?" He laughed softly at her words as he led her out and toward their apartment.

--

"You really think Bennet is not going to come after us?" Elle asked watching Gabriel closely as he went to unlock the door in the dark empty corridor of the apartment building. He snapped the key into the lock.

"Elle, if he does in fact try and kill us both we can handle him. Besides Angela would rather he not try anything on us." He opened the door letting Elle through first.

She shrugged wondering if some day Bennet would just turn around and kill them both. Though now that Claire was on the other side . . .she paused in her thoughts. The place was fairly close to looking like Gabriel's old apartment. She smiled at the comfort level it brought on. Headache nearly disappeared.

Grant it the apartment in whole was larger. She was just in the living room right now. The carpeting was a dark blue and plush against her heels. The couch sat in the middle of the wall to her right swooping around the room in a half moon shape. Elle took another step forward seeing the big screen TV against the opposite wall. Her eyes widened.

"Wow." She said moving toward the television.

"Yeah Angela went a bit overboard with the luxuries. Apparently we have HBO." Elle turned looking toward Gabriel.

"Daddy never let me watch TV." She told him Gabriel nodded taking a step toward her.

"My mother liked to keep down my exposure to all things she deemed evil." Elle let a smile slip into her expression. He chuckled softly.

"Yes because exposure to certain things is bad for a growing young boy." She grappled onto his hands swinging their hands together. He looked at her with a content expression. "Show me the rest." He grinned leading her into the kitchen.

"State of the art?" She asked looking toward the steel toned refrigerator. The kitchen was slightly small, but Elle wasn't going to be doing much cooking alone. She opened the door to the ice box to see it was stocked full of goodies.

"The Company stocked it for us. Just like our room." Elle tapped her fingers against the metal handle remembering how they'd be sharing a room. She paused as she closed the door letting the sound echo.

"She didn't fill it up with old lady clothes?" She asked seeing Gabriel give a half grin. "Gabriel tell me I'm not going to be wearing Mama Petrelli clothes forever." He held his smile.

"Some are not as faltering as others." She rolled her eyes. Of course Mrs. Petrelli would punish her for switching sides and killing a bunch of people. This was her punishment to look like an old woman. "I managed to get you some more to your taste though." She flung herself at him kissing him letting a small shock falter between them.

"Have I mentioned how much I love you?" She asked tilting her head so their noses touched. He just smiled kissing her again. He held her face softly until the knocking halted their actions. Elle smoothed out Gabriel's hair bringing herself to the door alone. She peeked through the key hole.

She wasn't really sure if she was seeing right. The woman on the other side had been working for Arthur last time she recalled. She turned toward Gabriel who was watching her face closely.

"It's Daphne right?" Elle wasn't sure if that was her name, but Gabriel nodded. "She's with the Company you can trust her." Elle trusted Gabriel to know she could trust his judgment.

Elle snapped the lock bottom to let the short haired blonde woman see her. The woman had to be as old or a bit younger then Elle. She was wearing sweatpants and a red zip up hoodie. She smiled at Elle giving a tug of her white blonde short hair.

"Oh Elle hey." She slapped her hands to her sides letting something that was in her hand clang against her knee. "Gabriel." She waved to the man behind her. "I'm Daphne and your neighbor from just down the hall. I saw you were home and just wanted to say welcome to the neighborhood. I actually went with Gabriel a few days back to get some-"

"Is there something you wanted Daphne?" Gabriel interrupted the woman standing fairly close to his girlfriend.

"Would you believe me if I asked for a cup of sugar?" She shook the measuring cup. Gabriel rolled his eyes, but Elle smiled.

"Sure." She then turned to Gabriel giving him a be-nice look. "Do we have sugar?"

"Yes. I actually was going to make sure we had enough." Elle started forward toward the cabinets over the sink with the measuring cup. Gabriel stayed with Daphne by the door as if keeping her outside of their home. "To have some of your delicious pie." She heard Daphne let out a chuckle. Elle spun around giving her a soft smile and a little bit of an odd don't-start look.

"He's talking about actual pie, Daphne." Gabriel couldn't have been more clueless and Elle let a girlish smile. She knew she would get along with Daphne. She stood on her toes to retrieve the sugar.

"So you guys have partners or have they forced you onto a team?" Daphne asked folding her arms across her chest and tilting her head.

"Teams?" Elle asked pulling the bag of sugar open. A puff of white powder hit the young woman in the face. She stuttered and coughed. The two by the door did nothing, but give soft smiles.

"Yeah, Daphne's on a team with two others." Gabriel explained.

"Alex and Monica. We're the Speed Demons. There's another team, Rebel, though they're always on mission. Barely have time off, but we've been on two missions. Both successful." She gleamed watching Elle pour the sugar in. "So you aren't partnered together?" Elle was just concentrating on getting a cup into the glass cup.

"No. I'm with my brother and Elle is with Peter." Daphne made a little weird face to which Gabriel made an equally questioning expression.

"How are you handling that?" Elle looked up then seeing Daphne was leaning against the door frame while Gabriel was looking uncomfortable with his arms folded across his white T-shirt. She shook the measuring cup moving her heels across the tile and onto the plush carpet.

"So what are you making?" Elle asked handing her the cup. She didn't want to hear anything about how Gabriel was jealous. They'd been over this. She guessed that's how he felt with the Bennet situation.

"Sugar cookies. Monica and I are having a movie night. Chick flicks mostly. She lives with me too so she's your neighbor as well. Left her behind to watch the dough and oven. Probably should get going." She took a shot behind her seeing her door was slightly open. A pair of dark brown eyes peaked out. "I'm coming, Mon. See you guys later." She waved and walked to her door.

Elle smiled as Gabriel closed the door behind him. His eyes peered at her body as she pulled him toward her grabbing the hem of his shirt.

"So the Company has teams now?" She asked running her finger over his cheek bones.

"Guess we weren't lucky enough to get on a team." He said moving his lips rather slowly. "Would you believe me if I said I was happy how things turned out?"

"In a way. You get to do the whole bonding thing with your brother." Gabriel cringed hearing Elle use the word bonding. Her lips pressed against his cheek as her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Bonding, yeah. He's already trying to get me to go to orientation with him. Thinks he can guilt me in by saying Peter's going with Alex and West." Gabriel said tilting his head away from her.

"You have some secret hatred for Petrelli. Even though you once thought he was your own flesh and blood." Her fingers tickled under his chin.

"Not so much hatred as it is . . ." He pulled her hands down and together. "He just gets to see you more." She understood that and gave a quaint smile.

"Well you have me now. So what are you going to do with me Mr. Gray?" He smiled hearing her tempting words. His lips became busy fairly quick. They worked an unwholesome magic on Elle. He held her face letting himself be lost inside her mouth. Elle would have lost herself too if it wasn't for something he had said before. "West?" She had pulled away confused.

"What?" He asked confused.

"West. You said Alex and West. As in West Rosen? As in Fly Boy? As in Claire's ex?" She turned her face away. "West?"

"I guess. I know this West can fly too. You think he'll turn on us because Angela-"

"I tried to kill him once." She said in a little whisper. Gabriel came behind her in her daze hugging her from behind.

"Did you?" His whispers tickled her ears. Elle shook her head putting her hands on his large warm hands steadied on her stomach.

"Yeah, tried to shock him out of the sky. It was really pretty." She remembered watching him shake against the electric. "Like zapping flies." She lifted one of his hands to her face kissing the palm lightly.

"It's in the past Elle. We're new people now." He whispered softly stroking her lips with his finger tips. Elle sucked against Gabriel's fingers lightly, her tongue running over him. "I was thinking of opening up my repair shop again."

"Agent and watchmaker. Oh you're living on the edge now." She spun herself in his arms smiling. He leaned down to hold her face.

"We're always living like that Elle. Never know what is coming, but that is fine with me. I like a little excitement." He pressed his lips to hers moving them gently over her own.

"Well I like a lot of excitement." She broke the kiss tilting her nose forward so that they touched. "There's another room to show me you know. The bedroom?" She cooed running her hands through his hair.

"Hmm. And I suppose you want to try out the bed." He said moving her hair from her eyes.

"You know me so well." She told him and kissed his lips before he tightened his fingers around her hand ready to lead her wherever she wanted.


	17. Piece of Pie

CHAPTER 17: Piece of Pie

"Elle?" A low murmur awakened the half awake woman dressed in bright blue stockings, black knee high skirt, and deliciously over bedazzled blue sweater jacket over a pale white shirt. She turned her attention to the younger blonde. Daphne was giving her a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee look. She fluttered her eyes. "Pass the sugar."

Hard to believe that the mention of sugar would come up again, but here they were talking about sugar again a good four and a half months later. Though now they were standing in the large kitchen area of the Company surrounded by other women like themselves. Elle leaned over the counter stretching on her toes to retrieve the measuring cup filled with the proper amount of sugar.

She handed the woman the cup who was dressed in what she found was the usual Daphne outfit. She wore sneakers of course, those were new bright red sneakers to match the track like sweats she had on. Elle was getting used to her fast friend though not her fashion sense, which Daphne had claimed was easier on missions.

"Elle this recipe is amazing!" Lulu French proclaimed layering one of the many pie crust with sweet peaches. The woman seemed to always have a smile on for anyone who walked into the room in the two and a half weeks she was at the Company.

Lulu French had become a fixture in the Company since seeing the kitchen alone several days ago. She had been rescued by the Speed Demons in Baltimore where she was a sous chef in a very highly acclaimed restaurant using her fire talents to merely fix mistakes. Since the visit here she practically lived in the kitchen dishing out new dishes at any moment she got. Of course Mrs. Petrelli gave her the job as head chef of the kitchen as she managed every fork and knife and appliance. She was very anal in that sense, but a sweet heart none the less.

"Thanks." Elle gave a reassured smile as she smiled toward the brown haired woman with the large gleaming eyes. Monica, Daphne's roommate was stirring the peach mixture for the pies as Elle went to check on the pie in one of the four ovens. Only a couple seconds left until the first batch was out. "Lulu can you handle the heat?"

"Well I am in the kitchen." The young woman laughed at her own joke then her own laughter slowly died as she realized that no one understood the joke. Elle let out a soft smile to reassure the woman she was understood. "I can handle taking the pies out with oven mitts." She explained as her sneaker patted against the white tile toward Elle. A timer went off and Elle reached over to hit it.

"Luke doing any better in school?" Elle was taken aback from the question as she peered at the brown eyed curious faced Monica Dawson. The dark skinned teen never really talked to the blonde much so it was odd for her to ask her anything. Let alone about Luke.

"Well he said he got a B on his psych test so I suppose that isn't too bad." She stated with a quaint smile.

"Good cause West is thinking he might drop and Peter is threatening to throw him out if he quits school." She stated and went back to her peaches. Daphne rolled her eyes hearing the sarcassam in Monica's voice.

She could have cared less about Luke's situation. She would have actually preferred Luke out of the house so she could have a place to move into close to her cousin, Micah and her boyfriend, Mr. Fly Boy himself. It had been about a month and a half since school had started. Two months since Monica and West had started dating. Elle had been worried about her . . . well . . .she wasn't sure what to call Luke. Maybe brother-in-law, but usually she just went with brother. She wasn't sure how he would deal with college. He had already been kicked out of one class for being late way too many times so now he had four classes left in his schedule plus him and Gabriel's mission times.

He hadn't handled it like Gabriel had. Since reopening Gray and Sons Gabriel Gray had found himself rather busy between the two things leaving the couple money for rent to the landlady, who just happened to be one of Mrs. Petrelli's close friends and expenses, which included clothes for Elle and nights out on the town. Elle found working with Peter less hard and since going back to working as a hospital nurse he became better to handle. More compassionate toward her. Though Gabriel's jealousy never seemed to wear down.

"They're going to love these Elle." Lulu beamed with pride as her fingertips absorbed the heat from the third pie plate she put on the cooling rack.

The they Lulu was referring to was about half the Company. Daphne had counted forty two members including themselves in the ranks of people waiting for dessert night. Something Lulu had thought up. Next Friday would be pizza night in which Lulu would force her weirdest pizza recipes on unsuspecting agents.

"Elle's pie is the best." Daphne said as she crammed her mouth full of ripe peaches. Monica nodded in agreement taking out the next set of pies as the timer went off. Flower oven mitts protected her hands.

"Can't take credit for it though." Elle shrugged mentally counted the pies in her head not noticing as Lulu glanced at her a bit perplexed by the statement. "It's my grandmother. She taught me how to make it when I was around nine. About the only thing I can make." Elle was referring to the fact that she wasn't the world's greatest chef.

"My parents never taught me much of anything, but my older brother was always there for me. Encouraging my odd ways." Lulu twirled an extra strand of her hair as the last of the pies was brought out by Daphne and Monica.

"Mom always encouraged me." Monica mumbled to herself. Daphne just nodded. Elle found herself seeing all sad faces.

"Okay, since we all come from sad family matters let's not dwell." She said touching the pie plate of one. Lulu was about to go forward saying something to the impulsive woman. Upon touching the plate a loud sizzle noise erupted from Elle's hand. The woman let out a curse sticking her finger in her mouth. Monica gave a quick smile.

"Yeah, let's have some awkward silence before we burn ourselves to a crisp." Lulu suggested. It was fine with Elle. Talking about Grandma made her sad. Talking about her family made her sad. Once upon a time she had loving aunts, uncles, and cousins until she accidently killed them all including her grandmother.

She tried not to think about it too much. Causing a fire that killed her entire family. She tried to think about her new family. Gabriel and Luke, maybe even Peter. Boyfriend, brother, and some sort of odd co-worker that seemed to appear everywhere. Yup, she had her family.

--

"Hi! Do you like pie?" Elle gave a little witty smile. Gabriel's eyes peered up at the woman holding the steaming peach pie which was held on a flowery pot holder. His fingers clutched around a black mug fuming off curls of smoke.

He let out a soft chuckle as she sat the pie down. She smiled tucking a loose hair behind her ear watching as Gabriel put the mug to his lips. He glanced around watching as the other women brought pies out to the various tables in the heavily lit cafeteria.

"Thought it'd be a welcome memory." Elle suggested serving him some pie. His eyes fluttered up to her vaguely focused on the blonde.

"No it is. You know I enjoy the pie. Just wondering about the new girl." He looked over at Lulu who was smiling at Luke sitting with him and Alex at a table alone. "People with fire abilities aren't known to be trusting."

"She's the sweetest person in the world. You should have seen her today when she started this whole mission to get my pie recipe. It was like she was on some sort of quest." She laughed serving her own pie. Gabriel stabbed the pie letting the warm crust and peaches smooth him.

"Alright I trust your judgment." He told her glancing over at the spot where Luke's other roommates were seated. Monica slapped away West and Micah's hands as Peter sighed. Sparrow Redhouse, the dark haired bad attitude leader of Rebel rolled her eyes slinging her backpack over her shoulder. Gabriel glanced at the woman who gave a disapproving look before leaving.

"Sparrow still can't stay in the same room as you or Luke huh?" Elle mentioned with her mouth full of pie.

"She can barely look at Alex now." Gabriel had known for some time about Sparrow's dislike for anyone associated with the Gray clan. Not to mention Luke's only friend in his house beside Peter. Alex and Luke had almost every class together and were actually really close friends. Not many people had warmed up to the boy or Gabriel. Though they both liked it that way.

"She's part of Rebel. She's got Micah, Abigail, and West to deal with her whiplash mood swings." She was glad the girl had left the area. She wasn't fond of the girl either. Though she had never been unlucky enough to be in the room alone with her. That was not a good scenario.

"Luke's planning to work with me." Elle's eyes flickered up at Gabriel to see his mono tone expression.

"At Gray and Sons. I would think he'd be less of an asset with his melting everything he touches power." He let out a soft laugh at her words.

"He needs a cover and volunteer work can only take him so far. Besides I need some else beside me working the counter. At least school is working out for him." Elle nodded slowly looking over at Peter who was glancing at her giving her encouraging eyes. She had almost forgotten about the thing she had to tell her boyfriend.

"Gabriel, Peter and I got an overseas mission tomorrow in Italy. Just saying I might be late for dinner." She made the quip to make it seem less like what he thought. It was her first overseas mission since working with the new Company and dating Gabriel. It was obvious by his expression this was going to be hard to convince him. "Most it will take is a week." That really didn't help.

"You want me to be okay with you going to Italy for a week with Peter?" She shrugged with her lips pressed together in an odd grin. She knew how Gabriel didn't like her partnership with Peter, but there wasn't much anyone could do with it. She was stuck with Peter whether she liked it or not.

"Gabriel." She cooed in her oddly flirtatious way. Something he didn't like because it meant she was going to try and convince him of something.

"Elle." He responded raising both his brows. She pulled at her sweater vest leaning over the round table. "You know how I feel about this."

"And you know how I feel. We've been through hell and back Gabriel. You know me." She gazed at him dead straight in the eye. "You know you're my guy." She leaned forward giving him a peck on the lips. "No matter what."

Gabriel managed a smile. That was good enough for him.


	18. A Little Too Much

** Author's Note:** Sorry this took so long. A mixture of writer's block and my computer being dumb. The story should be back now until I hit an another road block. Oh and again reviews = awesome as well as more chapters. So keep reviewing and I'll keep writing ;)

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CHAPTER 18: A Little Too Much

Elle glanced out the window of the cab. Italy was one of the more beautiful countries Elle had had a mission in. She remembered the last mission had been in Russia. Giant fur coats hadn't exactly been her style and it had ended in disaster. No new member acquired.

Peter was busy running down information in his mind as his partner glanced at the large fountain. The pair had already checked into their hotel and were now tracking down their trackee. Elle's eyes shot to the papers. A photo of the woman they were tracking was paper clipped to the loose papers. The woman looked around twenty or older with curly wild red hair scattered across a doll like face. Her lips were curved into an unmistakable smile.

"Doesn't look Italian." Elle pointed out as Peter's dark eyes fluttered up to her. He glanced down at the pale freckle faced woman.

"She's been on the run for some time. She was originally from Canada, but she ran away about a year ago. Took her parent's savings and started on an unofficial tour through Europe."

"And her parents don't want her back?" Elle asked glancing at Peter's serious face. The kind he had on when he was discussing a situation he empathized with.

"Black sheep of the family." He concluded. "Would you want to go back to parents that ignored you?"

"Been there. Done that. Bought the T-shirt." Elle stated casually. "Now do we have faintest clue of where she is in Italy?" Peter shook his head in response.

"Mom just said one of her associates saw her in Rome. That was about two hours ago so she still has to be here." The cab halted and the driver called out that they were at their location. Peter shifted getting his wallet from his back pocket. He counted the Euros out. "I think we should split up. We'll cover more ground that way."

Elle nodded watching Peter hand the man the money before exiting the cab with Elle in toe. Both of them thank the man in Italian. Something they had been learning through audio tapes all week since they knew they were coming here.

"Want to meet by the fountain in an hour?" Peter asked glancing at his watch. Elle looked out into the crowd surrounding the fountain and nodded. "Remember she's a tagger. Good luck."

Elle needed luck. She'd never come across a tagger before though from what she understood they were hard to catch and keep. Taggers as Peter described them were people with the ability to touch someone and make them run away from a certain person or object. Though Peter theorized it worked the other way making a person or people run toward an object or person. A simple mind control method.

The young blonde was far from fond of mind control. When Eden had been alive she had always steered clear of the girl. Nobody was going to mess with her mind. Elle looked down at the cobblestone wondering where to look. She remembered from her brief look at the report that the girl was only twenty, but managed to get a fake id. She remembered the list of names the woman went by. Rose, Roxy, Resa, and Rachel. All R names.

Elle glanced around the street seeing a family full of small children and two tired looking adults wander by. Elle winced watching the boy pull his mother toward the toy shop on the corner. He started begging and pleading for something in the window.

The woman slipped into the bar before he started wailing. The atmosphere inside was dark and dreary almost like a funeral home only it smelt better. If hard liquor and cigarettes was better than the smell of death. Seeing how it was mid afternoon barely anyone was sitting at on the bar stools. Two older men were sharing drinks while watching a soccer game. The bartender was washing off some glasses as he glanced often at the screen above his head.

Elle then found the most unlikely person to run into. The target was sitting at the corner of the bar looking down into an empty shot glass. Her outrageously long red hair was tied back into a low hanging ponytail that sank to the middle of her back curling lightly at the ends. She debated on going over to her target or not. Normally she didn't feel for a "target", but this young woman spoke to her. This woman was running away from something.

"Mind if I sit here?" Elle asked in a confident way to the young woman. Her eyes glittered up like soulless masses of blue ocean.

"Can't hurt." She stated shrugging her shoulders. "At least you're not the millionth guy to hit on me today. Shame how that happens when you're the only girl stupid enough to go to a bar in the middle of the day." She shot a look at the guys making them chuckle.

"But then again it gives a girl something to do." Elle smiled thoughtfully and young red head smiled back. "I'm Elle." She inwardly cringed forgetting to give a false name. The woman just looked so innocent and trusting.

"Roxy." She said with a tip of her head and a slight roll of her tongue. "So what brings you to a bar in the middle of the day? Guy trouble?" She nodded slightly. "Guys can be such clueless jerks sometimes."

"Yeah I hear you. My boyfriend just went for "a walk"" She air quoted as the bar tender asked what she needed. Elle ordered a scotch on the rocks much to Roxy's approval who had been downing some local Italian brew.

"Walk, psst." She made the annoyed sound lightly. "What does that even mean?"

"No clue. So what brings you to Italy, Roxy? Family, friends, just a little tour?" She asked trying hard to get info out of her within the hour.

"Just site seeing. A little tour through Europe alone." Elle made a face as she said alone. "Wanted it to be alone. Better this way. No one to bring me down or raise me up. Can go at Roxy's own pace. And Roxy likes going at her own pace." She explained in simple terms. Elle laughed lightly. "So you and this boyfriend . . .?"

"Yeah, Peter's good and all. We're visiting Italy for the sites as a couple theory thing. Go new places. It's not working too well as we have been away from each other non-stop." Elle was good at making up things on the fly. Occasionally. At the moment she was determined to get through to this woman. "So what about you Roxy? How's your-" She was cut off by the sound of her own phone. Due to the fact she had only recently received her phone from the Company she hadn't had the time to put in fancy ringtones. Right now was a simple buzz. She had liked the rings on her old phone, but that one was in a lake somewhere in Michigan. She placed her finger up reaching in her pocket.

"Hello?" She answered with much innocence.

"Elle, Sabotage is here." Elle froze hearing Peter's voice. Sabotage was Nathan Petrelli's quickest and deadliest team on a mission. The team contained Claire Bennett, who was now a lean mean killing machine with a used too often gun, Anna Korolenko, a girl with the power to numb anyone around her, and Perrin Crocker, a man with spikes in his backs. At least that was what Elle heard.

"Wait what?" She asked wondering how Peter knew.

"I saw Claire. I saw her. Elle we got to regroup. She's got-" The phone went dead after that.

"Peter, Peter, Peter!" Elle shouted a bit nervous now. What did Claire have? What did Claire have that she didn't?

"Trouble?" Roxy asked with a hard look her eye.

"No, well yeah, but nothing I can't handle." She thought things over quickly. "Listen I think my boyfriend is cheating on me. Would you be willing to bust him with me?" She asked sheepishly.

"Seriously?" She asked with a little uncertainty. Suddenly Elle felt something odd in the room.

"Step away from the girl Bishop." Elle felt her eyes turn to the former blonde haired cheerleader. Now in a badass brunette with too much eye liner on wearing a black sleeveless shirt and leather pants that were too tight for her own good. She pointed the revolver at her. Rachel Mills was standing next to her. That was probably Peter's warning. Mills was a teleporter which meant if she had any inkling of where a person was she'd get there.

"Claire?" Roxy asked looking at the girl as if the two were old drinking buddies.

"She's part of the Company, Rose. The one that's been after you." She explained stepping forward as the two members of her team entered the room. Anna was a young blonde girl only slightly older then Claire wearing a red shirt and short shorts. The man, Perrin was over dressed with greasy brown hair and coke bottle glasses.

"You're an agent?" Filled with disgust, Rose/Roxy should up. Immediately believing Claire. No doubt in her mind who to believe. Elle figured it out rather quickly Claire had gotten to the woman first.

"Roxy you don't understand." Elle started as she stood up too.

"Oh I do. You want to lock me in some cage and study me." Elle protested immediately.

"No, we want to help. We want to help you develop your powers and relocate-"

"No, no! Not buying it. The Company took away my brother and killed him. Now you're after me!" Elle was taken aback. In the woman's file it hadn't sad that. Anna stepped closer now looking at Elle and putting a comforting shoulder on the red head's shoulder.

"We're going to take care of you." Anna stated in a naturally thick Russian accent. The woman's eyes rolled back and she was caught by Perrin. "Just as soon as you get some sleep."

"Looks like you lose Bishop. Nice knowing you though." Rachel said quietly. It was at that moment Elle noticed the patrons in the bar had either scattered or ducked behind booths.

Elle found herself looking into Claire's eyes. She went to flick her wrist to release a bolt of lightning, but the gun was quicker. Elle fell into the counter of the bar knocked back by the gun shot. She out cried in pain. Claire stepped closer for another shot but was flung forward.

"Claire don't do this." Peter said in very serious proper way as he stepped closer.

Elle curled up in pain realizing where the pain was. Her shoulder. It stung and throbbed greatly. Why was she always being shot? Arrows, guns? What was next? Perrin immediately went defensive taking a spike that slunk from his forearm.

"Perfect." Elle sneered cradling her arm. "Peter, look out!" As loud as she could she shouted so Peter could block the act with Gabriel's telekinesis.

"Got Sylar's power huh, Peter?" She heard Claire say as the pain made her eyes glaze over. "Well you can't die, but she can." She assumed Claire Bennett was poking her nasty finger toward her. "Do you think she can last much longer with losing all that blood?" Elle was only now noticing that her arm was thick in blood and her fingers were getting wet.

Peter went over to the blonde haired woman with nearly no hesitation. Elle looked up seeing the three women, man, and Rose/Roxy leave the bar.

"Peter . . .they're getting . . .away." She said. Her breathing heavy as her heart increased to pump more blood through the system. "We've never lost one."

"She chose it." He tried to redeem his decision. Elle wasn't buying it though cocking her eyebrow slightly. "Besides Gabriel would kill me if anything happened to you, so I guess you are looking at a dead man." Elle smiled slightly knowing that was the real reason Peter Petrelli was attending to her. Or maybe he cared. A little too much.


	19. Expecting The Unexpected

**Author's Note:** I know this is a bit short, but the epicness of the next chapters will make up for it.

ellavee, your question shall be answered in this chapter! :) Enjoy!

CHAPTER 19: Expecting The Unexpected

Elle had barely woken up since the hospital. What hospital and when she couldn't tell a soul. All she knew were three things. Claire had shot her, she had lost the tagger to Sabotage, and Peter had helped her. She cussed when she woke up the first time. Elle wasn't one to lose someone so easily. She probably would have gone after the girl herself in Peter's position, but Peter was way too caring to do that.

Elle was sure it had pretty little to do with Gabriel and more to do with the fact Elle was hurt. Hadn't she read somewhere he had been a nurse? That probably explained why he was yelling some medical terms she couldn't wrap her head around. She knew for sure they were not going to repair her gunshot wound in Italy.

Angela Petrelli would much rather be patching her up on home turf. It had only taken them a day and a half to get her back into Dr. Cho's care and the same room she was in before. The multiplier was putting needles in Elle both to draw her blood and take it for testing. Once Dr. Cho had left the room Peter strolled in. Elle Bishop was fully awake now so she could scold him.

"Why didn't you go after her?" Elle asked moving her body slightly.

"Why? Well first off you were bleeding and shot in case you didn't know what you were doing in a hospital." Peter explained pulling a chair up next to her bed. He sat backwards on it, leaning his front against the back of the chair. "And secondly . . . the first reason pretty much explains everything." She huffed.

"We lost her. That woman, she's not going to happy land with tree elves and cookies. She's going to die." She closed her eyes softly imagining the woman briefly with a Sylar-like wound across her forehead. She shook her head out of the day dream.

"I know, but it was you or her and no offence, but she chose that from what I saw. Chose Claire over you. Chose death over whatever it is we do." Peter shook his head with a bit of a shrug. "You wouldn't think I'd just leave you there." A glimmer streamed against his dark eyes and Elle's face scrunched.

"What's that?" She asked curiously propping herself up. Her shoulder, wrapped in gauze, stung enough for her to make a face to which Peter replied with a light touch of his hand. "What is all this?" She motioned toward his hand.

"What?" He actually seemed completely unaware of his own actions. It took him little time to realize what she meant. "I'm concerned for you Elle. Can't I be concerned for you?" She gave him an odd look.

"I don't know." She sighed and he realized she wasn't sure if she deserved saving. At least he thought that's what she was getting at.

"Elle, you are a strong woman." Peter concluded touching her hand lightly. She glanced down. "You deserve everything you have. Every expense." Elle smiled lightly. It was Peter. How could you not smile around Peter? She knew at one point in her life she would have been flushed at this moment.

Touching a boy's hand, but she wasn't. She already had her prince. Her knight in bloody armor. She just nodded her head.

"Peter," She looked down pulling her hand away. "Are you in love with me?"

"What?" He asked confused by the question. He recoiled his hand. "What would make you think that?"

"Well you came back for me." She told him.

"You would have done the same for me." He smiled lightly watching as she shrugged ever so slightly and looked down at her hands. "Elle, you would have done the same for me right?" Now he was questioning where she lay. Maybe he had been wrong about her.

"We've never lost a mission." As if that were an excuse to lay someone bleeding.

"So you would have just left me there to bleed to death?" He asked now completely concerned for his own life in the hands of this ballsy young woman.

"You wouldn't have bled to death." She stated. Peter rolled his eyes. "After I caught up to her I would have come back." It was not making things better.

"Would you go back for Gabriel?" He asked just to push her buttons.

"Wait your avoiding my question!" She said remembering the original question.

"And you are avoiding mine!" He threw back. Several moments of silence passed by. Elle stared Peter down until he let out a sigh and looked away. "No Elle. I don't love you in the way you probably think." She raised her eyebrows. "Not to put this in a corny hallmark moment type of way, but you're like the sister I never had Elle. Also you can tell Gabriel I am not going to steal you away from him. I don't think anyone would have the balls to cross him" He laughed lightly and Elle joined in.

"So not any romantic-"

"Not a one." Peter concluded as she shifted in her covers. "Maybe before, but not now. Don't think ever again." Elle was glad he said it at the very least. At least now she knew how he cared. She was basically in a nut shell his replacement family. Gabriel was probably his replacement Nathan now that the senator was on the side of no good. Still she couldn't get over losing.

"I didn't want to lose her. I've never lost a single mission that I sought out to get done. And she reminded me so much of myself." Elle found herself relating to the girl's family problems.

"I guess that's the hazard of the trade." Peter admitted leaning his chin on the chair. "Win some. Lose some. You're not perfect Elle. You can make mistakes. So we made a mistake. We learn and we try harder. That's what mistakes are for. Learning." Elle nodded slowly.

"I just thought . . .I'd never had to make one as life threatening as that." She said softly as one of the straps to her blue cami slid off her shoulder.

"Yeah, it sucks it had to be like that, but you can't go back and fix it. And maybe it was meant to be." Elle decided to just agree with Peter. Naturally positive Peter. Again hard to say no to.

At that moment Dr. Cho walked in. His hair an unwanted mess around his head, his eyes full and to the point they were half blood shot. It was the real Dr. Cho making a check up on Elle Bishop. She smiled at the doctor as Peter tilted his head away from her.

"So what's the verdict doc?" Elle asked cocking her head ever so slightly. The doctors scuffled through his clipboard.

"Yeah is the arm going to have to come off?" Peter joked and Elle kind of felt the brotherly relationship he was talking about.

"Actually something came up in your blood." Elle blinked feeling her heart drop slightly. Time froze for a while as the Dr. Cho lifted his dark eyes to her with a half smile. "You're pregnant Ms. Bishop. Congratulations."

It didn't take long for the lights to flutter. Elle's eyes widened and as her heart fell into her stomach so did the lights explode. And the room became dark.


	20. Qu'estce que c'est?

CHAPTER 20: Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Six days. That's how long Elle Bishop had been missing from Gabriel Gray's apartment. Two missions, three fixed watches, a broken grandfather clock, and a dozen and a half worried phone calls from Luke later and she still wasn't back.

Gabriel gritted his teeth in the lightest, least threatening way imaginable. His eyes were another story. He had always known it would come down to him and Peter. He had heard through Luke, who had finally begged Peter to tell him where the blonde haired firecracker was, that she had been shot. Gabriel had unintentionally made his arm become silver at that response. It was a very good thing Luke had been on the phone with him. Otherwise, maybe he'd be missing one partner.

Gabriel whirled pass Daphne and Lulu who for once was outside the kitchen. They looked at him lightly almost with apologetic eyes. Lulu was the only one to smile. She probably still didn't know he used to be a serial killer.

"Gabriel, how are you?" She started off. She was interrupting his walking pattern. He simply gave her a no nonsense look. "Right, love of your life currently in a holding cell. What am I thinking? Of course you aren't fine."

"Holding cell?" He asked as Daphne slowly, but surely towards them. It was at that point the lights flickered on and off. "Is she . . . ?"

"It's been happening the past couple days. I can only assume it's from pain." Daphne said watching the flickering lights. "They've been replacing them a whole bunch. She's burned out the whole Company at least five times."

"Where?" He asked launching his eyes toward the area where the holding cells in question would be.

"Cell 6. I brought her soup about two hours ago." Lulu said with a distant smile. Gabriel nodded letting his mind become one track toward.

Gabriel hadn't quite managed to become angry about the whole Elle thing until he saw the very person that caused this mess. He threw him up against the wall with his power. He held out his hand glaring.

"Hello Gabriel." Peter mumbled. "Nice to see you again too." His eyes flickered dropping Peter slowly to the ground letting him land on his two feet.

"You got her hurt." He concluded crunching his hand making the Petrelli boy choke. He released him soon after.

"She's fine. Perfectly fine." Peter told the man.

"Then why has she been in here for almost a week?!" Again the lights flickered.

"She got a clean bill of health about two days ago." Peter stated pulling at his gray tight fitting shirt.

"Then why is she . . .?" Gabriel's brow folded in frustration. His shoulders dropped upon realizing the fact why she still remained in the Company holding cell. "She didn't want to come home."

"I'm sure if you talk to her it will all be fine." Peter stated starting to walk away. His arms were pushed against the wall. Gabriel glared at him giving him an offhand smile.

"Don't think I'm going to forget you put her here Petrelli." Peter merely smiled at those words.

"Good, I've been meaning to get in a good fight." And with that quip he was released allowing Gabriel Gray to make his way towards his girlfriend.

--

Elle Bishop found herself having a staring contest in a dark cell with an empty bowl of chicken noodle soup. She blinked softly letting the bowl win yet again. She sighed crossing her legs wondering too many things at once. So many she couldn't even focus on one. Not a single one of her thoughts was making sense.

She watched the lights flicker through the door then explode. She could hear the mumbling of several Company agents. She could hear another telling them to go to the supply closest to get more bulbs. More than liking Dr. Cho would have his multiples changing every light bulb.

It was fairly hard to gain control of her powers in a state like this. It reminded her of the time her father had died. She closed her eyes softly trying to not recall the cause and the relief of that. The cause of her current situation.

"Elle?" She heard his voice and it never ceased to amaze her how her heart fluttered when she heard his voice. Her blue eyes glimmered up as her hand sputtered with blue electric.

"So who spilled the beans?" She hoped down from the oddly comfortable and ugly bed to the floor. "Was it Peter?" She could barely see him in the darkness, but as he stepped closer she made him out. He was wearing a blue V-neck sweater and dark black jeans. His eyes were steady and dark, yet curious on her current condition.

"Lulu." He said with little concern or emotion in his voice upon saying her name.

"Oh, well . . .she did give me soup." She reached on the bed to show him the empty bowl. He smiled only a little. "What's wrong?" She knew she shouldn't be the one saying that, but she didn't want to make him think there was something wrong with her. Though by default he probably already knew.

"What's wrong? You get shot and I find out five days after the fact. Then you don't want to come home. Elle?" He settled closer noticing her shoulder. It looked as though there was gauze on it, though he could only see a small portion through her blue T-shirt. "Why didn't you want to come home? Peter said-"

"Of course it was Peter. I knew he had to tell you something." Her eyes were watering, but she didn't seem to be in the emotional state of crying.

"Elle? What's wrong? Your powers are out of control again." He stepped closer hugging her gently.

"I blew a fuse." She pushed him off. "It's nothing." She looked down closing her eyes letting tears come back into her eyes.

"You don't just blow a fuse without a reason." He lifted her chin and she looked deep into his eyes. "There's a reason for this. Is something wrong?" Again he repeated and Elle couldn't take him not knowing any more.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered almost unaudioable, but she knew Gabriel would hear that. His eyes fluttered open and closed in thought. Unable to understand those two and half words.

"What?" Though he understood her perfectly clear the word slipped out. She just looked at her feeling a little better that she had told her boyfriend about it. He slowly found himself sinking to the floor. Not on the bed. To the cold indifferent floor. Elle did the same. Slowly. Her eyes closed slowly. "You're . . .pregnant?"

"That's what I said." She said again soft. Again still uncertain what this meant. Her hand went to her stomach feeling the tiny spot where the baby grew. She slowly felt something rise in her throat. She recalled the feeling of vomiting. It had been happening for the past few days. She leaned forward into Gabriel's chest and threw up her soup. She sobbed softly.

"It's okay. It's okay." She shook her head as he spoke. She leaned back closing her eyes.

"No. It's not. It's not okay. It never will be." She wanted to curl up into a ball and die. When she finally had the courage to open her eyes and face him again. His sweater was gone. Curled up into a vomit ball in front of him. "I'm sorry Gabriel." He held a distant smile on his face as she slowly marveled at his bare chest.

"It's only a shirt." He said pushing it further away from them.

"No for-" She started, but he cut her off.

"Don't be sorry for that." He told her looking her in the eyes. "Elle. I'm happy. I'm happy you're pregnant."

"Why is that so hard to believe?" She asked going into tears again.

"Is it because you aren't?" He wondered not entirely sure how she really felt. Her hand went to her stomach.

"It's not that I am not. It's just . . ." she turned her eyes toward the blank dark wall. "I don't know what kind of mom I'll be. I don't think I can be a good one." She looked down slowly. "I know I can't."

"I know." He said which didn't exactly boost Elle's confidence. "We're not exactly the kind of people that should have children or anyone would expect to, but I actually am happy. I love you Elle and this child is going to bring us closer together into a family." Elle looked up at Gabriel as he leaned forward.

Her hand was still on her stomach protecting the child that grew inside her. His hand was on hers touching the solid area where a child grew. His child. Their child. He slowly ran his hand down to her thigh and leaned back. She looked up.

"This is going to be one messed up kid." Elle concluded. She looked at Gabriel with a cocky clearly confident smile. "With us as parents."

"A psycho and a killer." He explained nodding his head softly. "What do you think the kid will turn out to be?"

"A psycho killer." Elle replied and the two just smiled and laughed softly at their odd situation.


	21. The Next Two Steps

**Author's Note:** Okay, this is where the actual plot gets going. Conflict, people! Awesome unresolvable conflict! Okay eventually resolvable, but not for a very long time. So get ready to be on the edge of your seat for Chapter 22. :)

CHAPTER 21: The Next Two Steps

Elle Bishop signed about the eighth paper that week stating she was in working condition and she would not be suing her employers for getting shot. Or pregnant she supposed, but then again that wasn't their fault. That was her own fault and many ways Gabriel, but then again it was turning out to be a not so bad thing.

Gabriel was happy, which meant by default she was happy. Her hand was cramping and her morning sickness was not going away either. At least she could be done signing away her free will to sue to Angela Petrelli.

"Miss Bishop." Elle mumbled something under her breath hearing the devil woman's voice. Even though Angela Petrelli was head of the Company didn't mean she had to like her. She was pretty sure half the people in the world hated their bosses. That just made her that much more normal. "I've heard the news. Congratulations." Of course she heard the news. She was all knowing and Elle was darn sure that was probably her power.

"Thanks, Ms. P." She said with a soft insincere smile. The woman smiled just as fake, but with a little more effort than Elle was putting in.

"I cannot wait to see what plays out. If it plays out like planned." Angela stated taking a long look at the woman before walking pass her toward her own office. "Well good luck Miss Bishop."

Elle cringed knowing for sure this was all Angela's doing. She was a manipulative witch trying to force her own future on Elle and Gabriel, but things weren't always set in stone. Elle knew that. She knew that from the first time she saw Gabriel. She couldn't hurt him, but she had. That had led them here though. Had led to a baby. Her fingers skimmed the fabric of on her stomach. The dark blue shirt was light against her skin so Elle could feel where the change was.

"Elle!" The voice of the speedster seemed far away and before Elle knew it she was right behind her. "I heard the news! Congrats!" She hugged the woman lightly and the electric girl seemed to buckle into the girl hug. Though still her eyes puzzled with confusion.

"How does everyone know?" Elle was assuming the knowledge had spread. She knew Mama Petrelli was all knowing, but she had been getting looks from everyone. Smiles and disheartened glares.

"Well, it wasn't Peter." Daphne stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm going to kill him." The fired up woman stated and Daphne quickly placed an arm on her should before the woman could run off to find her partner.

"It's not his fault. Lulu forced it out of him. She's gets really . . . um . . . something when she is curious." She admitted looking towards her white sneakers. "But this is great. How did Gabriel handle it?" Of course everyone would wonder that. How did the serial killer handle the fact he would be a father?

"Surprisingly well. Kind of helped me get used to the idea." It was hard to admit, but Elle never saw that life for her. Kid, boyfriend, job. She always thought she'd be trapped alone in a Company cell for the rest of her life. Nothing to do, but track down those like herself, but here she was just two steps away from the picket fence life.

"I had a feeling you'd probably be unsure about the whole, baby plus you thing." Daphne admitted leaning against the wall. "I could help out with stuff if want." Elle nodded slowly.

"Thanks Daph. I'd appreciate that." She said softly pressing her own body to the wall. It didn't take long for Daphne to decide to change the subject.

"So my team has a new member." She let out. Elle blinked turning her pale face toward the short haired blonde. "That's what I've been doing with most of my time. Training him and teaching him the rules of the new Company."

"New Company?" Elle asked perplexed.

"He was part of the old, but came back because some old friends of his were working here. He's really cool, Elle." She said. Elle could see a hint of admiration in her eyes for this new recruit. "Well I won't take up more of your time. I'm sure you have plenty to do. I'll see you around neighbor." Within a blink of an eye Daphne was a flash.

Elle looked down at her worn out shoes trying to think about her life. The next two steps. Just for today. She thought about the people close to her. Gabriel, Peter, Luke. Luke. She hadn't seen Luke in a while. Maybe a week. Maybe two since she had a full out conversation with her sort of brother. Had Peter spilled the beans about her to him? She closed her eyes lightly debating whether or not to visit him. In the house that was just full of teenagers and Peter.

She smiled and decided she needed to let one of the more important people in her life know what she was facing.

--

Elle was glad she only lived with one man. Just approaching the place where Peter, Micah, West, Alex, and Luke lived turned her off in many ways. It was not very pleasant looking outside. The grass had yet to be cut and a broken gnome laid shattered on the driveway leading to the condos. Elle shook her head not expecting anything more or less from the boys.

Then again Peter had been gone for a week so the teenagers had probably thrown some big party. She approached the old wooden framed door with caution. As if someone would come out of the bushes at any moment. Her hand collided with wood for one knock.

"Hey," It was Alex, Luke's closest friend in the house and roommate. He was wearing a faded dark Superman shirt and ripped jeans. His glasses on the bridge of his nose as his blood shot eyes stared at Elle pleasantly. "Elle. It's just me and Luke so you won't get West's dirty looks. Come in."

Elle walked in nearly tripping over a pile of dirty clothes. Alex steadied her giving her an awkward smile.

"Just so you know it was partly Luke's idea to have the party. Partly West and mine's too. Micah was out doing recon so . . ."

"Got it. When the cats' are away the mice will play." Alex smiled at the metaphor as he stumbled his way through empty Cheeto bags and beer cans towards the stair case.

"Luke! It's Elle." Alex shouted at the bottom of the steps. Elle could hear the shuffling the seventeen year old was doing. Maybe he fell a couple times before he peaked his head from the hall with a huge grin. He came into view wearing an AC/DC tee and black cargo pants.

"Elle! I haven't seen you in so long. How's the shoulder?" As Luke Campbell descended Alex ascended up the stairs, mumbling something about homework.

"Better. Much." She touched the spot where the wound was. Still had bandages on it, but the wound was as big as the tip of her pinkie. "How's school?"

"Again better. Not worst. Party didn't help my grades much." He motioned to the empty containers kicking a rusty beer can as he stepped off the steps.

"Peter hasn't seen the mess yet?" Elle asked as Luke led her into a surprisingly clean kitchen. He shook his head leaning against the refrigerator.

"He got called in for a meeting with his mom yesterday. He still hasn't been back. West, Alex, and I cleaned the kitchen this morning then West went to go get cleaning supplies so we can do the living room. Our rooms are pretty trashed too, but Peter doesn't care about that." Luke explained leaning his head back to the fridge. Elle then noticed it was shorter.

"Got a hair cut?" she asked pointing to his head. He wiped his hand over the short stubs.

"Yeah, yesterday. No reason. Just wanted to." He shrugged letting his big eyes fall to her face to notice a difference in her. "You seem different. Besides you know the gunshot wound. You feeling alright?" Elle looked into the boy's eyes. Big judgmental eyes. She wasn't sure why she thought he'd be judging of her predicament, but she was. Maybe she thought everyone was.

"Well yes and no." Yes because she was pregnant with Gabriel's child and no because she was pale and had morning sickness. He looked baffled. Maybe even a little worried. She decided it was now or never. "I just found out I'm pregnant." She said this pure sincerity and confidence. No doubt in any one's mine hearing those words that Elle Bishop was in fact with child.

Luke's reaction flowed in two parts. A wrinkle of his face in confusion then a half smile coursing through raising his dimples. Elle let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure why, but telling people this seemed to put a lot of stress on her.

"That's great. So you and Gabriel are going to be parents?" He laughed lightly. "Wonder what that's going to be like."

"Wondering it myself. I never pictured myself in the mom category of life. I always thought I'd be labeled as a psycho path from here to eternity." She laughed alongside him.

"Neither have I, but I'm sure you'll get through this. You got me and almost the entire Company on your side." He smiled again going over to hug her. She hugged him back unlike with Daphne.

"Thanks Luke. It's really great to know you're here. And hey! Uncle Luke. How does that sound?" She smiled reaching up to brush her fingers against his stubble. He had grown since she had last saw him.

"Yeah. I guess I will be an uncle. Anyway you should get home. I mean Gabriel probably wants to make sure you're okay." Elle nodded in agreement looking at Luke Campbell one last time before leaving.

Luke waved with a heavy smile on his face. Once he heard her car pull away his smile dropped. His face puckered into a grimace. He turned his face away from the spot where she stood and closed his eyes as he leaned over the sink. He breathed in gently trying to take it all in at once.

He gripped the sides of the sink letting his ability melt them so the metal showed the indent of his fingers. When he heard footsteps he opened his eyes, but did not turn around.

"Luke are you okay?" Alex asked. His voice kind of concerned for his friend.

"I'm fine." He said in an ominous tone. His face lifted to smile at the boy behind him carrying his laptop. "I just need to find that bastard."


	22. Personal Hell

**Author's Note:** Here's some answers to some of your questions:

ellavee: there will be a happy ending. i hate sad endings, but they won't get that way ithout a little torment and death. but then again i may change my mind. you don't know they all might die. lol

ellavee and syelle: Daphne's new teammate won't be revealed for a couple more chapters. And the next couple chapters will be delicious syelle fluff because I missed it.

CHAPTER 22: Personal Hell

Gabriel Gray was watching the microwave absentmindedly. Dinner consisted of microwaveable TV dinners. What he had been living on for the past two days. Since he had ran out of actual food and was too busy worrying about Elle to go grocery shopping. When Elle had finally gotten home they had talked for awhile until she decided to go out shopping to fill up the refrigerator and cabinets.

Gabriel found it hard to believe he was going to have a family. He was going to be a father. There was going to be someone in this world that would depend on him. Who would look up to him. Him the former serial killer. Love him unconditionally. He wondered if he could be there for his child. Could resolve to love a child more than his father loved him. Either of them. His false father and his devil father.

He wondered if he'd end up abandoning his family like Martin Gray or selling his child like Samson Gray. He sighed knowing that he would have a long way to go. He had to realize that once the child was born he would probably feel different. All he knew was that he wasn't going to push the child into being something. He'd be the kind of parent who let his child find their own way.

"Huh, parent." He laughed in a single breath. The microwave beeped promptly allowing him to know his meal was ready. Gabriel Gray ran his hand along the handle of the microwave oven pausing for a moment.

He listened softly. Footsteps, the loud and angry footsteps. He felt the air and heat fly pass him as he jumped to his right away from the microwave. It erupted into a burst of unholy fire ripping through the kitchen like a poof of smoke. Gabriel turned his body to see the intruder. He struggled to get up only to be put down by a wave of unforgiving heat.

"You stay down!" Spit sprayed in an angry fashion as Gabriel's skin seared off from his muscle exposing it for a second before it healed back. Gabriel rolled to his stomach looking at the boy. He lifted himself up extending his arms and looking up at Luke Campbell, his own brother with resolve. "You did this to her!"

"Luke," He choked as he started to get up. He wasn't about to sink to the boy's level by using his powers on him.

"I said stay down." Both hands extended to radiate after his older brother. Gabriel's back arched as he held back the painful cry. "You got her pregnant. You got Elle pregnant. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve the pain. She doesn't deserve to know you." His foot collided with Gray's face. He fell backwards into the drawers.

"Luke, you realize that," The older man didn't get to finish.

"She was mine!" Again his anger became enraged over the sound of his brother's voice. "Before you came back she was mine. She was mine. I took care of her. I loved her. I love her now. All you do is put her in harm's way and make her do stupid things." His fists shook in anger. His thighs buckled under him, but he kept himself straight. "She'll be better off without you." He extended his hand taking the knife from the counter. Gabriel's hand twitched.

He found himself suddenly encouraged to do harm to his own brother. To this man who wanted to take Elle. To take him away from his child. To kill him at any and all cost. His hands twitched at his side. He felt his angry build to a boiling point. He knew he could kill this boy. His own brother. He had to. For Elle, for himself, for his child.

"Luke don't!" Her voice illuminated the apartment as did her electric blue lights. Luke's body rocked at the force of the electric blast hitting him. He shouted a distressed scream before he convulsed to the floor. Gabriel Lifted himself up looking down to see his gray sweater vest had been burned away leaving his dark blue undershirt slightly burned, but still clinging to his body.

"Elle." Luke moaned as he struggled to get himself up. Elle was looking at Gabriel who leaned against the counter with a distressed and menacing look on his face. She held up her face telling him to freeze for a minute.

"Luke what are you doing here?" she asked watching him struggle to get up. Her tone wasn't too understanding. She had just seen him holding a knife to her boyfriend. To his own brother. She had been so worried she dropped the groceries. An orange rolled hitting Elle's heel.

""I can't let him do this to you anymore." Luke mumbled gripping the knife.

"What?" Gabriel asked. "What have I done that is so horrible?" Elle turned to see the frustration that bore from Gabriel Gray's eyes.

"You took her away from me." Luke hissed standing up.

"Right, so by default Peter is to blame too. So why don't you go kill him?" He asked with a bitter tone. Elle kicked the orange behind her stepping back.

"You love her. You got her pregnant. You made her kill." His hand shook with the knife in it. Elle reached forward.

"Luke, calm down. Sit down. Let's talk about this." She was trying to save this boy she felt as though were her own brother.

"You love him. You don't love me." Luke said breathing slowly as if he realized something. He slowly moved away. Toward the door. Out of the place where the woman he loved and the man who took her away lived. His own personal hell.

"That's not true, Luke." She said her voice shaky and concerned. "I love you too. Luke please." Her hand reached out for him to grab it. Gabriel watched unconcerned folding his arms watching, but ready to do something if Luke suddenly turned on the woman he quote unquote loved.

Luke loved at her. Wanting to believe it. Wanting so much to believe she loved him in the way he wanted. Wanting so much that every moment she spent with him was special. Wanting to believe when he left his mother she had believed in him. She saw it in her eyes that it was all false. She didn't want him like he wanted her. He looked at her hand. Caring, smooth, and willing to help.

"I'm sorry Elle." He told her softly. "You don't love me. At least the way I feel about you." He backed from her again. "And I can't stay in this place any longer." He dropped the knife and blotted for the door. Gabriel walked slowly toward the door. Elle looked toward him and they knew they had lost him.

--

Elle found herself at Peter's condo for the second time that day. And for the second time she was there to see Luke. This time Gabriel was tagging along behind her closely as if someone would jump out of the nonexistent bushes at any moment. Judging by the melted doorknob she could tell Luke had been back since the storm out. She turned to look at Gabriel in a dark green sweater over a collared checkered shirt. He looked at her as if they should already expected this from Luke.

She tipped her foot forward watching as the door fell into the house. If it were possible it was even a bigger mess then before. The beer cans on the floor were now burned smelling awful. Elle stepped on a blanket that was on fire stamping it out.

"He's gone in case you haven't figured that out." Alex said sitting on the last step of the stair case. Elle looked at the boy who was rubbing his temple in frustration. Gabriel's feet crackled as he stepped on a bag of chips.

"What happened?" She asked looking around the room. Holes were in walls clearly burned around the edges.

"He stormed in threw a fit." He showed off a burned wrist. "Burnt me. Threw West out a window. Took his stuff and bolted." He looked down at his feet pointing up the stairs. "West's up stairs resting. I think his leg's broken."

"And Peter? Did you call Peter?" Gabriel asked stepping closer to the college boy.

"Yeah they called me." Peter stepped through the threshold sweeping his foot to move bags of unwanted food to the side. "Luke did all this?"

"Whatever you want to believe." Alex explained with a sigh. He still couldn't believe his best friend was gone.

"So where do you think he went?" Gabriel asked leaning against the railing of the stair case.

"To Goldilocks." Peter insisted and the others knew that couldn't be good.


	23. Handling Anything

CHAPTER 23: Handling Anything

Gabriel found himself staring at the same watch for a good long three minutes. His magnifying glasses could see every nook and cranny of the mechanical mechanism. Tick tock. Tick tock. The sound that usually soothed him. Sated his hunger as his father had once put it. He pressed a small tool to one cog adjusting it slightly. The off ticking clicked back into position.

The man with the thick framed glasses had forced himself deeply into his job ever since Luke had disappeared. Though no matter how much he tried to talk to Elle he had always chickened out. At least about the incident. He talked to her on and off for the past three days, but not much. She was busy being pregnant. Which meant moody and unpredictable bouts of randomness.

It was true there were moments he had to stop and think. Luke had been a part of his life for a while. Months, but it seemed as though it had been years. As if he fit so perfectly in with him and Elle. Now he knew why Luke tried so hard to fit in. He couldn't blame the kid for falling head over heels in love with Elle Bishop. She was strong, independent, and very easy on the eyes.

The bell to his shop clanged with the sound of sneakers against the tile of the watch shop. Gabriel snapped the watch closed letting the ticking become in time with the other clocks. He shifted his glasses off and placed them next to the watch.

"Elle." His eyes flickered up at the young woman.

Her face was sewn into a pucker. She wore gray sweat pants that folded over at the waist showing off a bit of her well tone body. She wore a white pull over jacket on her body. Her hands were tucked into the front pockets. Her lower lip curved into her mouth as she bit it slowly sucking on her own salvia. Her eyes were red around the edges and just the slightest bit puffy.

"Elle," He lifted off from his stool going over to the other side of counter. "Have you been crying?"

"No." She said a little pissed he would even think that. Her one hand depositioned itself from her pocket to wipe her eyes as if it would make the puffy irritated feeling go away. "It's just all these stupid hormones are driving me up the wall." She blamed.

"Luke will come back Elle." He pulled her toward him to hug her brushing his fingers against her scalp softly. "Eventually." He had told that to himself so much he was starting to believe it was true. She buried her nose into his soft sweater vest.

"Everything is just going crazy at light speed." She mumbled into his shirt Her hand went to her stomach. "Stupid pregnancy. Stupid everything." Gabriel hid a laugh within himself. He leaned forward kissing her forehead lightly.

"I'm sure it will pass. At least I hope." He immediately felt a smack on his chest. "I'm kidding Elle. You know this is all just leading somewhere." She puckered her lips again.

"Somewhere that involves pain and diapers." She mumbled picking up one of Gabriel's tools. "So do you get even remotely any customers in here?"

"Collectors mostly. Selling some of my better works as well as repairs." He watched as she lifted the pointy object to her nose. "Please don't touch."

"I'm not a baby Gabriel." She said with as much sass as she could muster. "Just pregnant with one."

"Well if you were pregnant with something else I would be a bit more worried." He laughed lightly putting away his tools. She just huffed beside him. Apparently pregnancy had subdued Elle's sense of humor.

"You know I'm scared." She stated folding her hands. Gabriel didn't look up.

"About what?" He asked shifting his tools.

"That I won't be able to handle any of this." Gabriel let his eyes wander from his tools knowing she was talking about it all. Pregnancy, parenthood, the departure of Luke in such an awful time.

"We'll be able to handle anything Elle." He reassured her looking into her blue eyes. She looked as though she were about to protest. He placed a finger to her lips. "Together." She had no choice, but to agree with him. The bell clanged against glass and Peter sighed hearing the oddly familiar boots of Peter Petrelli.

"Good I don't have to make two trips." Peter stated with a smile as he pulled at the collar of his dark green shirt.

"Your mom wants to see us." Gabriel realized. Why else would Peter even be looking at his face?

"You got it. All three of us. Figure it has to do with Luke's breakout." He motioned to the door. Gabriel sighed again disheartened by all this and pulled along to speak with Angela Petrelli.

--

"I need to speak with you boys alone." Angela Petrelli addressed the two men as Elle Bishop stood mouth half opened.

"Why am I even here then?" She asked allowing the lights to flicker. "I mean it's not like I don't have a life outside the Company." Her eyebrows rose as Gabriel placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Your time will come Miss Bishop." Angela stated and Elle couldn't help, but stick her tongue out.

"Ten minutes tops." Gabriel told her in a soft whisper. "Not looking forward to this either." She grinned giving him a soft peck on the lips. He slowly walked with Peter and Mama Petrelli into the office room where she would probably lay out a battle strategy to the boys.

Elle sighed looking around the darkly lit waiting area before the big boss woman's office. She found herself staring at two blue chairs positioned against the off white wall. She rested her back against the cool unfamiliar plastic. The mumbling of the woman was the only sound. It was muffled by the shut tight door. She rested her head on the back of the chair trying to think rationally.

Luke was gone. Angela had seen him in one of her dreams on the other team. With Claire. Somehow he didn't believe she loved him. She did. That was true. Not in the way Luke wanted her to, but she loved him. Like a sister loved a brother. She needed him. At least she believed that. She needed him in her life just as bad as she needed Gabriel. She felt as though her "family" wasn't complete. She knew she couldn't have done anything different. Luke was just as bad as she was when Gabriel had been dead.

"Waiting for Petrelli?" The voice of Noah Bennet stirred the young woman into opening her eyes. She blinked up at the man in a gray suit holding paper work in his one hand.

"Waiting my turn." She stated folding her hands as if she were a good little school girl. "What are you doing?"

"Technically this is my temp office until mine is finished." He stated placing his paper work on a poorly crafted desk in the corner. He walked over to Elle to sit beside her. "I heard what happened. With Luke and you. Is it wrong to say congrats on the baby?" She shrugged. Shifting in her seat. His eyes gazed over at her. "You've come a long way Elle." She turned to him facing him for one of the first times. "You're not only a Company girl any more. You're a girlfriend, a role model, a soon-to-be mother."

"Yeah, scary right?" She laughed to herself looking at her bitten off nails. She had been developing the nervous habit.

"No, I think you're a strong woman Elle. You can handle anything." He placed his hand between her shoulder blades. "I'm proud of you for breaking the chain. For not being everything your father wanted." She smiled at him lightly. "Hard to believe some months ago I was trying to kill you and Gabriel." She let out a small laugh.

"You know what?" She said in a tired tone. "I forgive you for that. It took me awhile, but we're different now. I'm different. I mean frickin' pregnant." She placed her hand briefly to her stomach. He smiled.

"You know I think we can build a relationship off this." Elle raised an eyebrow. "A good relationship. Friendly at the most." She smiled at HRG. The man in the horn rimmed glasses who had once been her partner. Her confidant. She could forgive him. For all he did. He was her on and again off again surrogate father.

"Miss Bishop." Elle turned to look at Angela Petrelli who was standing in the doorway of her office. Gabriel and Peter trudged pass her as Bennet stood up. "I need to speak with you alone." She shot a look at Gabriel who's eyes encouraged her to go talk with the woman.

"Fine. Meet you at the cafeteria." She said with piss and vinegar. Again a mood swing that gave Noah, Peter, and Gabriel whip lash.

She took very little steps into Mrs. Petrelli's office. The door shut soundly behind her. Angela walked around to her desk, which took up a large portion of the dark brown room. The walls were plastered with various odd paintings. A fox hunt. A sail boat race.

"Sit, Elle." The older woman encouraged poking her hand at a mahogany chair. It was uncomfortable as she sank in it. "I trust pregnancy is treating you well." Elle moaned and Angela laughed ignoring her own comment and getting right to business. "Peter is going to take some time off due to Mr. Campbell's departure." Elle's heart raised gently at the mention of his name. Luke that was. How could he make her body do that without even being around. Hormones. And her emotional attachment to Gabriel's brother.

"So where does that leave me?" She asked realizing with no Peter she would be without a partner. And without Luke . . ." Oh." Her mouth formed into a little circle as her eyes smiled realizing what that meant.

"Yours and Gabriel's partnership will be temporary as in after a certain amount of time you will be given a leave of absence as well." Angela stated folding her hands into themselves.

"I can handle anything Mrs. Petrelli." She stood up quickly tired of everything she had done today. "Can I go now? I'm like starving. Not that I don't love the news. Just starving."

"I remember that." The older woman laughed lightly instructing Elle to go forward. She turned, but stopped as Angela spook again. "Oh and Elle," Elle turned to look at the woman. Sitting at her desk as if she were some undefeatable monarch. "I suggest you think before saying the word 'anything' because that child may be quite more then you can handle."


	24. Partners

**Author's Note:** Glad for the reviews! I'd also like to know where you guys think this is going. Or where you want it to go. Course is pretty set. Hell I think we're just over the half way point. Next chapter we'll get to see who's the new guy on Daphne's team. Also who's yourguys favorite character or favorite part so far?

See now I've gotten into the anal questions. But anyway enjoy the fluff that is Syelle.

CHAPTER 24: Partners

"I don't like this one bit." Gabriel declared sitting in the dark colored van. He took a gentle sip of his coffee before stuffing the Styrofoam cup into the holder.

"Well I'm your partner. Deal." Elle Bishop reached for the cup, but Gabriel caught her hand causing her to pull back. She ignored his reaction to the coffee looking out the window. Cops gathered around the large three story bank armed and ready. A crowd was already gathering making up stories in their mind about what was going on. "It doesn't look too horrible." She grinned knowing Gabriel's reaction.

"Elle, it's our first day as partners and already we have a bank robbery and a hostage situation." He groaned rubbing his temple. "And you are pregnant and well . . ."

"Got it emotional. I'll make sure to keep that in check." She reached for the handle to leave the van and start working. Again a save by Gabriel Gray.

"I don't want anything to happen to you." Their eyes met and Ell could see his concern. "Both of you." He said it as if he was reminding her she had a little being growing inside her. She nodded slowly. "Besides I think Ms. Petrelli is trying to get you killed. What with our first assignment being a hostage-robbery and you being my partner at all." Yeah Gabriel's partners sure didn't last long. Noah Bennet and Luke. A lump formed in her throat at the thought of his name. She shrugged it off.

"So what's our story? I mean for the coppers?" The young woman asked pressing her hand to her thigh. He nodded slowly thinking on his feet.

"FBI agents or police. That's always how it's been explained to me in these kind of situations." Elle glanced over at her boyfriend. She had been informed that Gabriel had joined the old Company before. Only one mission. Had his one mission been a bank robbery?

"Good okay." Her face twisted trying to think of the outcome of the old Gabriel. The Sylar Gabriel. She smiled wondering who had gotten their head torn off that time.

"You're good at thinking on your feet, so just follow my league." He nodded to her as he got out of the stopped van. Elle was convinced that she could keep up with him so she got out too.

Anybody looking their way would have already suspected agent out of them. Unmarked van, two good looking individuals in pretty high end suits. It was the telling of something big. Gabriel and Elle stepped forward toward a group of police officers discussing what was about to go down. Both wore a white shirt under a dark black jacket with dark slackers. Gabriel wore a black tie while Elle had none.

"Hey," One guy called as they got closer. "Who the hell are you?"

"FBI." An accent hissed from Gabriel's lips. Elle fiddled her brain trying to match the accent in her own mind. Brooklyn. She could pull that off. "Deacon Crane. Heard ya have a little hostage situation on ya hands." The dark graying man nodded pointing toward the bank.

"Two suspects. One male. One female. Both Caucasian entered the bank around ten thirty. Held it up. Demands are money. They aren't willing to release the civilians." He took a look at Elle who was processing the information. Trying to figure out the entrance to go through. If it was only two it'd be easy enough. She pressed her hand the her holster. A gun for show like Gabriel's.

"Who are you?" The gentleman asked staring at Elle. She was quicker then Gabriel to react.

"Rebecca Crane. FBI. Ya might want to watch you barriers," She glanced up at his name tag. "Lieutenant Ranch. Ya got a civilian pass your barricades." She pointed out letting the Brooklyn accent fill her voice. The officer immediately got a look at a man stepping over the blockades. He rushed over screaming at the gentleman.

"Nice." Gabriel whispered leaning to whisper in her ear. "Also you made us married." She turned smiling up at him.

"Just thinking on my feet, Gray." She punched him playfully in the arm. "No if I remember correctly this is the part where we put on the bullet proof vest. For show." She grinned hoping that would get her through to the action.

--

Gabriel walked in slowly to the building. Alone. He wasn't about to let his fake wife/real pregnant girlfriend in a building with this century's Bonnie and Clyde. The special kind of Bonnie and Clyde. He wasn't about to jeopardize a mission due to his need to protect Elle. He really wondered why Peter had taken a leave of absence. He knew not many people would want to partner up with him. Luke, Peter, and Elle were the only willing ones. As Luke had gone and Peter had decided to focus on his career or whatever he was left with his girlfriend. His pregnant moody girlfriend with a gun.

Gabriel heard the murmur of crying in a corner. Women, children, and men were scattered about the bank ducking behind guests and clutching the ground. He took his hand to his holster looking to see where the two were. A soft wind blew by and Gabriel watched as a woman no older than twenty cried out loud. The wind became harsher and Gabriel found himself blown against the hard wall of the bank.

"You aren't very good at being sneaky, Agent." The woman called taking her time to come from her not too obvious hiding spot. Her hair was a darkish red brown pulling into a braid that curled down her mid back. Her finger nails were painted red having perfect French tip. She wore a pair of old blue jeans and a small fitting blue shirt. She smiled at Gabriel twirling her finger to keep her wind going. To keep him up against the wall.

"Haven't seen a Agent yet who was willing to go up against me and Heather." The man spun his gun around on his index finger grinning like that cat who ate the canary. He had long greasy black hair pulled into a not so straight pony tail. His eyes were dark yet playful as he wore a dark pair of pants and collared maroon shirt. Heather glanced at her honey for a second keeping her hands moving.

"Malcolm I'm tired of waiting let's just kill a few people and take what we got." Heather tried to get out of the whole wait for more money. Malcolm thought about it for a moment. Gabriel could have broken free at anytime, but was waiting for them to be confidant to strike. That's when he could get them. He was very close to that moment until a large beam of electric bolted through Malcolm's body.

"Shit." Gabriel whispered feeling the wind leave him. He saw Elle's eyes shoot at the other woman who grinned like this would be a good fight. She barely got her winds off Gabriel before who was spazing herself to the floor. "You better have a vest on."

Elle grinned as she helped Gabriel from the floor. The hostages quickly exited in panic mood as the couple looked around. No real damage to the inside of the bank which was always a pleasant thing.

"Of course I have a vest on. I'm not stupid. Though the cops out there. Another story." She laughed to herself, but Gabriel was not amused.

"What happened to them keeping you safe?" He asked looking down at Heather.

"I guess they decided I was none of their business. Or I might have been real sneaky." She walked slowly over to Malcolm.

Gabriel found himself watching Malcolm's eyes flutter open and grab Elle's ankle pulling her the floor. Instinctively Gabriel grabbed Heather by the neck choking her awake. Malcolm's ability showed in that moment. Long tendons of silver streams pulled from the man's fingers wrapping themselves around Elle in a bind. As if tiny strong silver chains were around her.

"You got mine." Malcolm squeezed his fingers together constricting Elle. She squeaked softly. "I got yours." Gabriel let go of Heather as if he was going to release her, but Malcolm had Elle contained. "No you're a special guy. An agent for some other type of shit. I can see that in your eyes. You think you can beat me. You can't. I'm not fooled." He could tell Gabriel had his telekinetic grasp on Heather who remain standing still and choked. "Let her be or I'll," He grasped his gun that had fallen to the floor. "Shoot her to pieces." Gabriel watched Elle's eyes slowly knowing she would be free once he died.

"I'm going to decide against it." Gabriel whispered. Malcolm's finger pulled the trigger, but Gabriel was quick. The gun lifted in the air with brutal force shooting the ceiling. Gabriel pulled his own gun out as Malcolm's gun hit the floor. He shot the criminal square in the forehead.

Heather choked out a soft scream and a commotion went on outside. Elle fell forward toward the floor, but Gabriel held her up with his ability. He grabbed a walkie talkie at his side and called for back up to retrieve the corpse of Malcolm and the living corpse of Heather.

"You're stupid. You know that?" He whispered to Elle as he helped her out of the bank.

"But I helped." She concluded.

"Getting yourself nearly killed is not helping." He told her holding her to his body. "But I'm glad you're okay."

"That was a pretty awesome ability. You could have shot him anywhere. But you blew out his brains." Elle wondered out loud.

"I wouldn't want an ability that had hurt you." She was about to protest when his phone went off. Gabriel tucked his hand in his pocket as the pair leaned against the dark van. Elle watched Heather get into the police cruiser. Tears poured from her eyes in unsteady streams. She had a long unpleasant road ahead of her.

"What?" She heard Gabriel say. "He has." A pause that caused Elle to look up. "No, we'll be over as soon as we're finished here. Or sooner. Thanks for the info Peter." She watched Gabriel snap his phone closed as he stared at it for the longest time.

"Well?" Elle asked trying to get a word out of him. "What's up?" Gabriel's eyes met hers and before he said the words she knew it was bad.

"Luke's been sited."


	25. Figures of Her Madness

**Author's Note:** I love the responses.

el85: who doesn't love elle and gabriel? my theory on gabriel is he doesn't care what people think. like 'yeah i love her what's for dinner'. that kind of stuff. and the fluff will come at random. they'll be drama then fluff. i have little arcs planned too. this is what's known as the 'luke arc'. two other arcs and a half arc to go.

ellevee: lol i don't think anyone likes angela. at least in this story. i believe she is just trying to make Elle tough. yes i don't know her motive either and I am writing the story.

Anyway as promised here's an update where we see Daphne's new teammate, a little undisclosed talk between our favorite couple, and the return of crazy Elle.

CHAPTER 25: Figures of Her Madness

Elle let the water run down her back. Her head hit the tile of the wall letting the warm streams of smoky water sooth her nerves. Maybe then she wouldn't feel the tears crawl from her eyes. Even so she could still somehow see the difference from tears and water.

She pressed her hands to the tile feeling the warm sensation travel down her spine. Water was supposed to wash away things. Still Elle found it hard to forget what had happened that day. She closed her eyes recalling what had happened only hours before.

Elle and Gabriel had walked into the old warehouse with little caution. A group of Dr. Cho multiples were already clearing out some areas. Smears of red streaks were on the walls and she could smell the blood harsh in the air. She covered her mouth and nose trying not to upchuck.

"Bloody hell!" Elle winced at the familiar voice. She ducked her head into Gabriel's shoulder watching several black uniformed shoulders pass by them. "That hurts."

"Well if you stop being such a baby and hold still," Daphne hissed through her teeth as she padded the area around the seeping wound. He cried in pain cussing as he sat on the conveyer belt with the bleach blonde beside him. "It was only a little one. Again stop being a baby." She squeezed his arm.

"You're trying to kill me Daphne." He laughed as he pulled his arm away. She lifted her hands up giving up.

"Hey if you can get that bullet out of you be my guest." She turned her head away from him to look at Elle who was still holding her mouth and nose while Gabriel separated going toward Peter, Alex, and Monica who were discussing something. "Elle!" She hoped off and Elle saw how Claude's eyes found her. "Hey, you okay?" Her hand was placed between her shoulder blades. She nodded slowly.

"What happened here?" Elle asked removed her hand from her face. Claude still watched her slowly. "And what is he doing here?" She hissed looking at the man. He dropped from his seat his dark brown long coat hitting the floor. His scruffy collared shirt folded into itself. His dark pants too long and were folded at the end.

"Elle Bell, can't see it's good to see you after our last encounter." Elle stepped forward standing her ground as Claude cradled his arm holding a cloth to his shoulder. Daphne looked between them seeing the tension build.

"I can tell you two have a history." Daphne stated shuffling her gray sneakers. Elle placed her hand on her hip then ignored the man.

"What happened?" Elle asked again looking toward the young woman. She went to open her mouth when Claude interrupted.

"What happened was Nathan's boys came in here and tried to capture the old homeless man that kept this place his home. We came, we saw, we got our asses whooped." He showed off his bullet wound. "Not to mention the homeless man got his brains blown out." He shifted his finger to the entrance where a body bag laid on a gurney.

"I thought the whole point was to bring in people, not kill them on the spot." Elle stated shivering away from the body.

"Apparently they were trying to prove old Luke's loyalty. Shame what happened to the poor boy." Claude stated pressing hard on his wound. Elle cringed hating him talk about Luke. Daphne saw that scrunched her face.

"Let's get you home. Monica and the others can handle the report. I'm sure Dr. Cho can fix your gun shot." Daphne placed her hand on Elle's back.

"You've got ties to him don't you lass." The words hit her psyche hard. "What happened to the Company girl with little ties? Nothing, but your daddy." Her face constricted. "What's so special about this boy?" She flipped herself around as Daphne tried to catch her arm. It was too late. A stream of blue energy hit the man causing him to fall backwards. The crowded area discussing paper work turned to her.

"What do you know about him?! What do you know about me?! You filthy little git!" She shot more at him. "People do bad things. You've done bad things. I have doesn't mean he can't come back."

"Elle!" Gabriel caught her as her heel hit into Claude's fingers. He cried hard. She collapsed into his arms sobbing softly. "Calm down. Everything's okay." He had held her all the way home until she had gotten the courage to speak she had simply told him she had to take a shower.

"Elle, we need to talk about all this." He had told her as he placed her on the couch in the living room.

"No," She responded slowly. "I don't think so. I'm . . .going to take a shower."

That's when she had taken to crying her eyes out in the shower while letting the water try to ease her pain. A small hiccup escaped her mouth as mucus slid from her nose. She wondered why everyone left her.

Her mother.

"Elle, you can only try so hard." Her mother's figure appeared softly beside her in a soft pink dress she had seen in a picture on her father's desk. Her blonde hair was cut to her chin and flared out.

Her father.

"You just can't seem to hold your own, honey." Her father stated appearing where her mother had.

Gabriel.

"You turned me into a monster. Why would I want to raise a monstrous child with you?" Another sob broke out hearing those words as her hand went to her stomach.

Noah.

"Did you think I was a father figure to you? I could not be anything like that to you." HRG stated mocking her.

Peter.

"I kissed you to escape from you. Worthless little girl." Peter hissed through his teeth. She turned her head seeing how he was in those clothes he was in the day he kissed her.

Luke.

"I loved you." Luke whispered softly. His form appeared. Just as the day he left. The same scruffy boy she had grown to find companionship in.

"I wanted you to stay." She whispered to the apparition. He smiled lightly. "Why . . .didn't you stay?"

"And what about me Elle?" She turned to Sylar's voice who stood leaning casually against the shower wall, water going through him. "I've been here the whole time. Through every crazy thing." She held her hand to her lips shaking her head.

"Why couldn't you love me Elle?" Luke asked behind her. She turned looking at him.

"I do. I love you Luke. I wanted us to be a family." He shook his head as she put her hand to her stomach. A grimace came across his face looking at the spot where she touched. His face recoiled.

"I don't want anything to do with that 'thing'." He hissed causing Elle's body to reject the heat. Cold ran through her veins angrily. Her body crumbled to the floor of the shower as the figures of her madness disappeared.

Despite the warm water coating her body she still felt cold. Like her blood was ice. Like she was ice. She pulled the white shower curtain down breaking it off so she could wrap it around her body. She sobbed hard and long thinking about everyone. Most of those people existed who had left her. Only two had been killed. They existed and still she had to imagine them. She curled into a ball crying some more.

"Elle!" It was Gabriel. He didn't even bother alerting her that she was coming in. The door swung open revealing Gabriel in a dark brown shirt and jeans. He came to her side shutting off the water. It felt as though a static in her mind was gone. "It's okay Elle. I'm here. I love you. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Despite not hearing her talk with herself Gabriel seemed to know what she needed to hear and that told Elle that they had to be together. For everyone's sake.


	26. Sheer Independence

**Author's Note:** Short, but sweet chapter. Elle's still having her mood swings. Anyway enjoy.

CHAPTER 26: Sheer Independence

"Sit Elle." Elle Bishop had heard that line from one Angela Petrelli. She was stuck inside the woman's office like the weeks before. She sat in the same chair watching the same woman shuffle papers behind her desk. "Due to some recent occurrences we feel that your talents would be best suited outside the field." The lights flickered as Elle stared at the woman. She made a face.

"So let me get this straight," The blonde stood up letting electric sizzled against her fingertips. "You hire me only to fire me again?" She asked letting the lights flutter above her. Angela obviously seemed concerned.

"Miss Bishop please," The woman began raising her hand as if that would stop Elle. "We are only thinking of your health. Of your child's health." Elle sneered.

"Like you give a damn about me. You'd soon as throw me to the lions then give a crap about my child." One hand went to her stomach as the other raised sparking gently.

"You don't understand how much a pull that child has on our future." Angela warned. "All of ours."

"And you've seen it huh? The future?" Elle asked letting her eyes show her emotion. Two missions with Gabriel. Only two and she had been fired. The second being to bring in a willing participant in the manner. A NYPD cop who was now on their side.

"Elle, you are not being rational. You're emotional, pregnant, and not handling the Luke situation well." Angela clarified. Elle knew she was right. God she knew she wasn't an agent with a full suitcase. "When you have dealt with this maybe you can be allowed to come back, but for now maybe for your whole pregnancy we can allow you to be out there. To jeopardize a mission." She ground her teeth lifting her hand again. Angela Petrelli sure had the ability to piss her off.

"I'll jeopardize your mission." She said knowing it made no sense. She was about to hit the woman with a bolt when something caught her hand. The sparks retracted.

"You should probably get going Elle." Noah Bennet recommended.

She turned her head closing her eyes. Killing her boss would not give keep her in good standings with Gabriel. Or Peter. She followed Noah Bennet back swearing she heard Ms. Petrelli tell her to keep her temper in line. She ground her teeth as they exited.

"What the hell are you doing?" Noah Bennet snapped at her. She spun her head around.

"Exactly what I was fired for." She snapped back. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go home and sit around for the next nine months feeling sorry for myself." She started to turn when Nah mumbled something.

"I don't think he would want you to feel sorry for yourself?" She turned.

"What?" She asked. Noah suddenly smiled. The cat who ate the annoying canary. "Did he . . .?" She moaned turning on her heels and looking determined down the hall. "I am going to kill him!"

--

"No, I'm sure this is right," Gabriel told the woman before him listening to the old watch tick in time with the others. "In fact I'm positive." She shook her head. Her graying curls bouncing.

"No it has to be wrong." She lifted her own wrist to him, full of brown spots. "See four thirty seven, not thirty nine. All your clocks are fast." Gabriel sighed again wishing this woman had some kind of power he could take. That way he could chalk her death up to a relapse.

"Every single clock in this store is set at standard New York time. It's the same in all the government building, ma'me." He attempted not to rub his temples and just hold the watch. Again she shook her head and again Gabriel's fingers itched to tear open her noggin.

"Well I want it at this time. The right time." Stubborn old hag didn't know much about anything. He took the watch opening it up. His glasses still attached to her face. "Careful. It's an antique." Gabriel was aware and let out the sigh. He could see the woman become stubborn. Maybe if he killed her just a little . . .

The bell went off and heels clacked. He had never been so glad to heel Elle's too expensive heels in his life. Maybe she could tell him it was alright to murder this annoying customer.

"Gabriel," Her voice sprang. He shifted a cog letting the watch sound off. Just the way she wanted it. He looked up to see Elle looking like she was about to kill him. When the customer turned his girlfriend's face softened. "A word?" Her tone sure didn't change.

"Excuse me for a moment." He told the woman. She was annoyed as he placed the watch and his glasses on the table. He led Elle to the back where he kept all the antiques. It was dark and a bit unpleasant. She spun on her heels as he shut the door behind him.

"What do you think you are doing?" She asked smacking his shoulder. He didn't seem to move.

"I wasn't aware I couldn't protect you." He stated folding his arms across his dark blue long sleeved shirt.

"Protect yes. Take away my ability to do actual work. That's taking away my womanly independence." He stepped closer to her and Elle instinctively went on the defensive. He laughed slowly to himself. She wasn't sure what was funny.

"I'm not trying to take away anything from you." He assured her. "You're still crying."

"No." She lied crossing her arms.

"Elle we share the same room. We share the same bed for God's sake." He declared lifting her chin up. "You cry almost every night." She slowly closed her eyes turning away. "I miss Luke too, but this isn't about me or you. It's about him. He needs to find himself." She flickered her eyes up at him.

"Like you did?" She was referring to the mass murdering he had done due to her influence. He laughed lightly.

"Tempted to revert back to my old ways." He stated making sure the door was still closed. "People can be annoying. Especially women who don't know the unique fundamentals of time." Elle stepped forward.

"Mmmm?" She purred out. Touching his collar lightly with a suspicious and seductive look in her eyes. "So tell me more about finding yourself?"

"I wanted to find Gabriel again. The person who I met when I was with you." His hands ran over her hands and down her arms smoothly. "I want that guy to come back to start our family."

"He's not back?" She wondered stoking his cheek.

"No, I'm still looking." His eyes ran over her body. She leaned up catching his lips. He held her face kissing her roughly before he pulled away. "I'm at work."

"So?" She huffed. "You're the boss. Take a little time off." She pressed her hand to his chest. "You deserve it Mr. Gray."

"Aren't you still pissed I basically took away your freedom as a woman?" She shrugged at his response.

"I'll do office work. You're little speech convinced me that I actually should start acting responsible for our kid." Her eyes eyed the door as she bit her bottom lip. "Now are you going to tell that lady off or do I have to black out the entire block?" Gabriel grinned taking Elle's hand. He kissed her palm before going out to tell his customer that the shop was closing.


	27. Stake Out

**Author's Note: **Here comes some drama! Wow that sounded like a warning. lol

Anyway enjoy the drama!

CHAPTER 27: Stake Out

Gabriel found himself annoyed. A week and a half. That was how long he had been Peter Petrelli's partner. A week and a half and already he was beyond his limit. Then again Gabriel found the perfect way to sate his annoyance was by killing. He was tempted as Peter drummed his fingers on the dashboard to the Ramones 'I Wanna Be Sedated'. He turned his eyes at him.

"Sorry." Peter mumbled putting his hands to his lap. Gabriel peered out the windshield toward the household.

They were currently staking out a woman's house known as Little Miss Sunshine. At least that's what Peter and Angela were calling her. Her ability to absorb and manipulate sun light seemed delicious, but Gabriel had better things to think about then taking an ability.

"How's Elle?" Yeah he knew he'd bring that up. Peter who hadn't seen Elle in almost a month was probably worried about the blonde.

"Good." He told him. He could see the look from Peter's eyes as he looked out his window. "What? You don't believe me?"

"No it's just . . .hard to believe she'd be fine." He explained peeking at the man.

"Well I'm pretty sure she's limited her crying to when I'm not home." Gabriel told his partner.

"That's a lot." He laughed, but Gabriel was not amused. "She has a paper job right? Filing and all that?" He leaned over to grip a bottle of water. He unscrewed the top bringing it to his lips.

"Yes," He answered. "And why are you so worried about her? And don't give me that she's like a sister crap." Gabriel sneered at Peter watching at the water went down his throat.

"I'm a former nurse Gabriel." He sounded sincere. "I care about people." He was telling the truth. Gabriel knew that. Maybe he was just panicking. "You want to hear my theory?"

"Theory on what?" Now he seemed just a bit peeved. Peter actually seemed to be enjoying it. He smiled as he brought the bottle down.

"On why Luke leaving hit her so hard." Gabriel's lips twitched and he didn't protest. "She thinks you'll leave her." Gabriel shook his head in protest. "Not saying you will. I'm saying she _thinks_ you will. Lots of people left her. Luke was just one too many I suppose."

"Well I think you're wrong." He explained in a harsh tone. "I think it's a more maternal instinct."

"Maybe it's a little of both." Peter leaned forward placing it in the cup holders.

"You know your mother isn't helping our situation either." Gabriel retorted as if that excused Elle from nearly killing her. It did in his book.

"My mother has an odd way of showing her affection." Peter shifted himself in his seat.

"So trying to get her killer daily is something she does to show her love? I hate to see what she did to you and Nathan as kids." Gabriel laughed to himself watching as a flock of birds passed by over head.

"She's strange, yeah, but she really wants to keep Elle safe." He knew his mother better than anyone. He knew she could be manipulative and confusing, but she was his mother. All her attentions in the end turned out right. "I think she has plans for your kid."

Gabriel's head pivoted. He had thought about his child. His and Elle's. He knew Ms. Petrelli had plans. She always had plans. Though this was a new low. Planning the life of a child who wasn't even born yet.

"She has plans for everyone. I'm sure she has something up her sleeve for you." He told the young man. Peter let out a soft laugh. It was extremely plausible. Peter's lips twitched as he peered out the window. His mother had had plans for Nathan to become President. For him to explode. Even Gabriel, who she had played as her son before it was all destroyed.

"How's your love life then . . .Pete?" The sound of his name on Gabriel Gray's lips sounded odd and ominous. Though Gabriel only meant it as playful. The young man sighed running a hand through his short thick cropped black hair.

"As you can see non-existent." He told him. "I've had two women in last couple years and both are dead. Actually one is dead the other . . .pretty much vanished." He had loved Simone. The woman he had lost to a bullet by Isaac Mendez, a man who Sylar had killed. He had had a budding relationship with Caitlin, only to lose her in an alternate time line which no longer existed.

"So no one in the Company you have your eye on?" He asked with a quizitive smile. "Daphne? Lulu? Sparrow?"

"No not a single one." He stated. "Daphne's too busy for my tastes. Lulu too. They all have their own thing. Sparrow is . . .well . . .not good to you or Elle so she's not even in my book of potential love interests."

"Yeah. How is the Anti-Gabriel Club doing?" Half of the group was associated with Peter. West lived in his house. Sparrow and Abigail were on Rebel with West.

"They hate Elle too. And even Luke. More so now." Peter retorted. "Don't make yourself seem like the only hater person in the Company."

"So by default I suppose they're going to not be fair to our kid." Gabriel looked down at his hands remembering times when he used to be teased.

"You have good people on your side who are willing to stand up for that kid of yours. Lulu and Alex will take anyone down who talks bad about any of you." Peter laughed lightly looking as the neighbor's sprinkler went on.

"How's Alex doing with this whole situation?" Alex, who had stuck by Luke and become his greatest ally in the fight in the Peter Petrelli household, was in fact Luke's best friend. They went to the same school. Hung out together, ate together, and even shared common interests.

"He's thrown himself into school. Speed Demons have been on hiatus since the whole . . . incident." Gabriel that was the incident involving Elle and Claude. His near death.

"Reminds me of when I was in college." Gabriel leaned back in the driver's seat remembering his younger days. "I used to work in my father's shop."

"You went to college?" Peter asked raising an eyebrow.

"What you don't think serial killers go to college?" He felt almost offended. "Most actually have more intelligence then the average person."

"Well how was I supposed to know? We rarely talk and when we do it's about Elle." Gabriel snapped his head toward the younger man.

"What's that supposed to mean?" His eyes went narrow.

"You talk about her a lot." He concluded. "I mention her name and you go on and on about her."

"Maybe you just want to know too much about." Gabriel was convinced Peter had some kind of connect with Elle. What he didn't know.

"Maybe I already know more then you." Peter found himself pressed to the window. His lips curving against the glass.

"What's that supposed to mean Petrelli?" He sneered harshly at the man. He let him go enough to let him speak.

"She has a file. I looked at it before we became partners. Your file has mysteriously went missing." He defended himself as Gabriel let his power remove from Peter's face. He lowered his hand letting it become less tense.

"Maybe that's your mother's doing too." Gabriel concluded after a moment of silence. "Maybe I should pick her brain about that." He made a villainous grin that made Peter want to strike him. He didn't get the chance nor did he want it. He saw a vehicle pull up to the house across the street. Their mark.

"Here comes, Little Miss Sunshine." Peter sang to him.

The woman crawled out of the red Honda slowly. The name was true. She was small at four foot something. Even in the distance Gabriel could tell. She was Oriental with long black hair that was to her waist. She wore a white blouse and black pants. The uniform of a waitress. She threw her car door closed. She jingled her keys getting to the front door.

"Show time." Peter said placing his hand on the handle. Out of Gabriel's eye he saw another car. On the side of the woman's house.

"Hold on." He put a hand on Peter's shoulder. The younger man looked out through the windshield immediately noticing the out of place area.

From the driver's side came a young boy. Almost a man. He was a bit stubby, but still tall. He had a little scruff on his face. Blonde hair gelled back in a slick and suave style. He wore a white jacket and blue jeans with a dark shirt. Gabriel knew the description as Jason Earp, one of Nathan's boys who had the ability to alter emotions. Probably someone Elle could tangle with. Out of the other side came someone he knew Elle could never take on.

"Luke."


	28. Show Down

**Author's Note:** Another short chapter, but even as Luke's mini arc concludes the buildings of a new arc are starting. Who could be the focus of the next arc be? Opinions? Questions? Comments? I'm all ears! Anyway enjoy a little show down.

CHAPTER 28: Show Down

The woman's home was easy to break into. Gabriel wasn't asking how Peter knew how to get into locked rooms and houses because he didn't exactly care. As long as he wasn't breaking into his house. Gabriel looking around the entrance way to where some rain boots lay on the hardwood floor. A green Oriental carpet greeted them. Both of their bodies slowly blended in as they shuffled to the wall.

Gabriel's pulse once jolting at a high speed now calmed down. His body relaxed to a calming numb. As if his muscles were on vacation in some wonderful tropic paradise. He slowly moved against the wall looking back at the blended being that was Peter Petrelli.

"Jason, Luke's partner." Peter confirmed the sensation through a whisper that seemed to come from nowhere.

Gabriel had heard of this Jason guy. Young, smart, and always willing to start something. He never got a chance to with his ability, but he wanted he could just switch gears to anger and let his victims go for it. Gabriel could care less what Jason did. He wasn't the number one problem at the moment.

He peered around the corner seeing the barrel of a gun. The woman was seated in an arm chair pressing her hands to the arms. She seemed relaxed, but Gabriel could tell that her body had been tense moments before. Luke was the one holding the gun just two feet from the woman. Aiming at her chest. He wore a dark brown suede jacket and dark shirt as well as torn up jeans. His hair had grown out a bit from his cropped hair do. His expression seemed a bit calm, but with a hint of aggression.

"Come on, Yu." Luke said in a very cocky no rules kind of way. "What's it going to be?" Peter and Gabriel stood perfectly still, but they heard footsteps. Jason Earp peered around the corner with indifferent brown eyes as if he were staring right at the duo.

"Luke," His voice calm and oozing like honey. "We have guests." Luke's eyes never left his target, but he smiled and nodded.

"Come out scum where ever you are." He sung to Gabriel and Peter. They exchanged looks. At least they thought they did. Gabriel was the first to step away from the wall.

"I suggest you and my partner take the fight outside." He stated in an equally calm voice. At that moment Luke looked dead into his brother's eyes. He wasn't expecting him of course. Jason had already known Luke Campbell's history and could even feel the sudden anxiety fill his partner of almost two months up. Peter stepped from the wall revealing himself.

"Gabriel?" Peter questioned his partners judgment. Luke soon let out a smile as Jason turned to the woman who was trying to get up. The calm immediately pulled away from them all. Every body in the room tensed up a bit. The woman ran outside.

"I trust you can handle the challenge Luke." Again Jason's voice remained an eerie calm. The boy nodded.

"I can." He stated looking to his brother. Without another word Peter and Jason followed the woman into the yard.

Gabriel stepped into the living room coated in white paint. The carpet a soft tan gleamed in the light. Luke pushed the gun back in his holster. He grinned at the brother he once had.

"I don't think we need guns." He said matter a factly. He jotted his hand forward letting heat curl the floor instead of Gabriel himself. The man's shoes melted into the carpeting. Gabriel didn't move, but just looked over the boy.

"You know she misses you Luke." The man told the boy. Luke's face turned down into a frown.

"Liar." Another shot of heat this time directed square at Gabriel Gray's chest. He took the hit making little noise as the heat burned his shirt. A large hole formed in the fabric, but his flesh healed from the searing burns. "It's trick. You're lying."

"I wouldn't lie to you Luke." He said letting sweat beads drip from his forehead. "I've been nothing, but brutally honest." He stubbornly lifted his feet off the carpet taking some carpet with him.

"Brutal is the right word." The boy stepped forward placing his hand to the hilt of his gun.

"She loves you Luke." Gabriel whispered, but the boy heard it.

"Shut up!" He cried quickly pulling his gun out. Gabriel allowed the shot into his chest. He felt the bullet hit his chest hard he fell back into the chair as Luke pointed the gun square at his head. "You don't know what it's like to love someone and be rejected."

"I am sick of this." Gabriel said beyond angry. He pushed his hand forward sending the boy flying into the wall hard. He got up slowly. "I am so sick of being betrayed by people. People I actually care about. Again." He took a step forward keeping his hand up so Luke's cheek was pressed harder against the wall. "And again. And again." He glared at Luke's staring at his back. "You know how hard it to see her like that. Crying every night. Not even able to do the basic things in life." Luke's eyes wondered if it were true. Did Elle really miss him?

"And dare I say it I miss you too and hate you." Luke choked as Gabriel spoke. He was using his power hard against the young boy. "I hate you for being the one to hurt her so bad." Luke couldn't breathe he thought he was dying. This was going to be it. He felt his body drop. He choked holding his neck. He turned to face Gabriel. His expression indifferent and unsettling.

"Aren't you going to kill me?" He asked through a choke.

"Why? I love you too Luke. You're family." Gabriel explained. "I know it's scary being categorized as family and I know your own family life wasn't so good, but we can make our own family better than that. If you claim to love Elle like you do then you wouldn't want to make her suffer anymore."

Luke stared at Gabriel. Elle was suffering because of him? Was it a lie? To get him to come back? Why would he want a rival back? It didn't make sense. Unless he wanted secrets from the other side, but knowing Gabriel as long as he had he knew his brother wasn't the kind of person who cared about secrets. So he had to be telling the truth. Serial killers lied to their victims, but he all signs were pointing to Luke as not a victim.

"Through the pain we can deal with this. Become something different." Gabriel bent to Luke's level letting his expression question him. Luke breathed in slowly letting his pain seep away from him.

"I can try." Was Luke's response. Gabriel gave a decent smile to the boy reaching for the gun that Luke handled him. Gabriel's hand slowly melted the gun as Luke's pain disappeared.


	29. Anyway He Can

**Author's Note:** We have two tie up chapters before the next arc which is probably going to be favorite to right. Any way to answer concerns.

el85: Luke likes Elle too much to ever kidnap her if that made any sense. I'm actually debating on writing a story on what Luke had to deal with at Nathan's group's place. Also Elle were show Gabriel her feelings soon but not until something dramatic goes down.

Cougar1824: A reunion shall occur in this chapter. Peter is off doing something on his own so it may be awhile before he pops up again.

Anyway keep the awesome reviews coming!

CHAPTER 29: Anyway He Can

Elle shuffled the paperwork looking at the file photos of Miranda and Jackson Reeves, twin siblings with equally thrilling abilities. She put paper clipped the photos to the sheets stating their current status and explanation of their abilities. Currently they were on probation for holding up a liquor store. Something Peter had busted along with Lulu, who had been convinced by the man to come along. Though Elle was sure it didn't take much convincing.

Elle heard the door open as she pulled open a large file cabinet. She turned her head peering at Noah Bennet with a thick stack of new folders. She grinned at him sticking the files of the twins in their right place.

"Rebel at it again?" She asked with a small laugh.

"Who else?" Bennet stated slapping the files on Elle's temp desk. His former temporary desk. Right outside Angela Petrelli's office. "How's home life?"

"Pretty good." Elle said smiling as she took the top file off the pile.

Since Luke's unexpected return to the fold he had somehow gotten better. School had taken him back due to another intervention by the Petrellis wealth. Though he had a lot of late things to hand in. They had only seen each other once in the week he had been back. When she had heard from Peter he was back for good she smiled to herself. She believed him completely because she wanted to, but a part of her wondered if everything would be the same.

He wasn't welcomed back with open arms in the Company. Angela trusted him due to a dream. It was always her dreams that convinced her. The Anti Everything Gabriel was more focused on the Luke hate than ever. Alex was adjusting t having his friend back, not fully convinced Luke had returned completely. He was getting there though.

When Elle had first encountered Luke just hours after his show down with Gabriel she hadn't had many words for him as she saw him. She merely threw her arms around him as he walked back through Company doors.

"I missed you." She whispered clamping her arms the boy. It took him four second to hug back burying his head down into Elle's shoulder. The hug had loosen a bit and she could only think that Gabriel was giving Luke the evil eye without her knowing it. "Ignore him," She had whispered to him. "He knows how important you are to my sanity." She hadn't really seen Luke since. Both he and Gabriel were busy with work. Watch shop and their undercover work.

"So you two have never gotten a chance to sit down and lay it all out on the table?" Noah Bennet wondered helping the young woman sort out the files.

"No," She admitted. "I mean with us all working all the time it's kind of hard. Plus I'm kind of starting to think about the baby." She put her hand to the barely noticeable bulge in her belly. She was a good two months along in her pregnancy which meant the mood swings were heading out and other things were heading in.

"Are you guys preparing?" Noah wondered. She probably should have talked to the father of two, but her friendship with Noah Bennet was not getting into ask for advice section yet.

"Not too soon. I mean we're talking about things. Baby proofing the apartment, what kind of things shoulder be in the nursery. We're just so busy." She stated again placing another folder away.

The door opened a slight crack first then all the way. Both of them turned their heads focusing on Luke Campbell dressed in black t-shirt and camo pants. In his hands he had a thick manila folder just waiting for filing.

"Case report." He stated waving the folder a bit. Elle managed to smile though in truth this was awkward for her. Noah Bennet placed one of the last files into the cabinet.

"I'm going to get going." He told Elle as he turned to walk toward the door. Luke stepped aside. "Don't forget to file all of those. I'm counting on you." With that Luke and Elle were left alone.

It took twenty seconds for Luke to come in further toward Elle's desk. When Luke moved Elle started putting more files away. As if they had been frozen in time until Luke had moved.

"The case is for a . . . um," He paused scratching his head a bit while blushing. "Thirty five year old single father who recently discovered his power of speed. We obtained the target in Wisconsin at his work. We encountered Tracy and Flint in this manner who we then disarmed." He flipped open the folder to peek at the man's name. "Mr. Gregory has been placed with his eight year old son in a protection program in Michigan. They have switched their names from John Gregory and Kyle Gregory to John West and Kyle West." Luke concluded holding his hand on the closed folder. Elle's eyes flickered up.

"Any injuries needed to report?" She wondered holding her hand out for the folder. He shook his head handing it to her. She flipped it opened looking at each section. Including the file photo. "Has his son shown any signs of abilities?"

"No, but the Haitian and Mrs. Petrelli are looking into a way to identify who is one of us." Luke concluded very businesslike. Elle nodded sorting the file as Luke's shoulders dropped almost in relief.

"H-How are you doing?" Luke asked with a bit of a delay. "I mean baby wise."

"Good." She continued filing not looking at him. All business. "I went to Dr. Cho the other day. Apparently everything is going good. The baby's healthy at the very least."

"That's good, Elle." He forced a smile. "I'm happy for you." Elle sensed a bit of truth in that statement. She figured he was happy that she was happy.

"I wasn't always so cheerful." Her eyes now to look into his. Blue judging pools. His face dropped knowing he was the cause of her pain and suffering.

"I'm sorry for leaving, Elle." He whispered softly. "I know there was no way I was ever going to have you, but . . ." He drifted off and looked away. "I had to find myself outside our little family. I had to know if all I was was just the guy who never got the girl." He gave a quick half hearted smile. "Turns out I'm not." Inside joke Elle didn't get.

"I'm glad for you Luke. We all need to do that at some point. Rebel. Be something you're not for a day." She sorted the files on her desk after she spoke. "But I'm glad you came back." They both were glad he was back. Luke had found himself on the other side, but the grass wasn't greener. It was dry and decaying on the other side minus a couple little flowers that managed to grow. He always knew it wasn't his forte and he knew his partner Jason knew it as well. He still had something on his mind though.

"Elle," His voice cradled the air as the blonde looked up into his serious eyes. "I want to ask you." A pause as he swallowed before asking this important question. "Was there ever a chance? For us to be an us?"

She looked him over studying every inch. She knew he was handsome. He was Gabriel's brother after all and he was a sweet kid, but she didn't love him like he wanted her to. She never would. In her heart she knew Gabriel was the only man who she could love in that way. She did love Luke very much though. Like a brother and nothing more.

"In some strange universe, yeah probably." Yes perhaps in a world where Gabriel was dead she would have grown to love him like that, but not now. Now she had Gabriel. "I do love you though. Like a brother. Like Gabriel loves you."His reaction went into a smile. Something Elle didn't expect. Like he finally understood it. He got it.

"I am glad." He concluded. "I'm glad to know you Elle." He reached over to touch her cheek. "You are an amazing woman." He reached down to touch her light baby bump. "You are going to be an amazing mom." She smiled in return as he retracted his hand. "And I'm glad to love you. In any way I can." With that he left Elle to sort out the files on her own knowing he had found himself through loving this electric divinity.


	30. Moving On

**Author's Note:** time to answer concerns!

Cougar1824: Is the Petrelli clan ever up to anything good? There motives will become a bit more clear later on, but for now let's just keep it in the dark.

el85: Elle's feeling become out in the open a bit in this chapter. Not mention a new relationship brewing. :)

ellavee: the 'eletric divinity' line is actually a little nodd to a sort of sequel to this story I might just put up when it's all over. and i agree with the whole noah thing. it's hard to imagine she wanted him dead in the beginning of this story.

CHAPTER 30: Moving On

Elle stacked the last of Daphne's boxes in the hall. Daphne appeared before her taking the box and giving a polite smile before zooming off back down the steps to the moving van. It was pretty late at night so nobody would notice her using her ability to hurry up her move out of the building. Last week Monica had moved out into a dorm on campus with a non powered roommate.

Daphne was moving in with Claude. Her boyfriend. Elle couldn't believe it when she heard. That had been about a week ago when she found out. Claude was a bit middle aged, but according to Daphne he was cute. To Elle he'd always be that Company guy she hated the most. She still wasn't used to one of her best friends dating him.

"That the last of it?" Daphne asked standing in front of Elle with her hands in her jeans. Elle had gotten used to the woman's sudden appearance. She had already broken two of Daphne's glasses in the process of getting used to her.

"No sign of Daphne in there." Elle shoved her finger in the direction of her former apartment. She grinned taking a seat on the floor leaning against the hallway wall looking up at the ceiling. "So," Elle started taking a seat beside her on the floor. "What do you see in Mr. Invisible?"

"This coming from the girl in love with this century's Jack the Ripper?" It was as if she had the comeback all ready to go. She laughed to herself pulling her legs in. "Nah, I know what you mean. We had this sort of love-hate relationship going on until . . .I don't know. One day I saw him in a whole new light and we started hanging out." She shrugged looking up toward the ceiling.

"I guess I get that." Elle admitted. "Same with me and Gabriel. I mean the guy is who is, but at the same time he's not." She hid her face over a veil of growing blonde hair.

"First time I got Claude was when we went to a bar together. Just a night outing. I asked him about his time in the old Company. You know why he left?" Her face turned. Completely innocent. Elle shook her head. Not a clue. "He was in love with a woman. Abby's mom." The Abby of Rebel. The Abby who had force field powers and was engaged to Lee in accounting. "She died and her last wish was for him to protect Abby. He did, but not before he was found out. Noah shot him." She knew that story. She just didn't know the who.

"So is Abby Claude's-"

"No." Daphne clarified with a small laugh. "She had Abby long before her and Claude met." She fiddled with the cotton jacket tied around her waist. "He just cares about me. He's actually there when I need him and always knows what to say and what to do." Elle agreed. It was little thing like that that made her love Gabriel more. "How about you? What's it like loving Gabriel?" She knew what she actually meant. What's it like loving someone who has killed so many for no reason.

Elle paused wanting to explain to Daphne he had a reason. All the kills he made had reasons. She wanted to tell the little blonde that she had reasons too. She had killed as well. Not as many, but her reasons were no different maybe even stupider. She wanted to say that, but that wasn't question. Was it?

"He's everything. He's been there through it all. I just love him." She did. She just did. "He understands me better than anyone. He takes away my pain and settles my fears. I owe him a lot. I love him a lot." It was hard to explain what Gabriel meant to her. He just was the love of her bizarre life.

Foot steps came up the stairs. Elle flicked her hair seeing Gabriel Gray in a plaid shirt and light tan pants. His dark eyes located Elle who shuffled to her feet. Daphne eyed the two who seemed to be having a little staring contest. Gabriel was jingling a set of keys.

"I better get moving." Daphne proclaimed through the silence. "Truck guy might get pissy if I don't go back. Also he doesn't know where Claude's is." Her face turned to Elle. "Later Elles." With that she was gone allowing Elle's hair to blow in the breeze.

"Did you move those boxes all down stairs?" He asked coming closer to her. She shrugged knowing she was about to get the fifth degree. "Didn't Dr. Cho say no heavy lifting?" His voice got a bit high, but not too much.

"Relax," She assured him patting his shoulder. "I just moved the boxes out of her apartment." She leaned forward placing a kiss on his surprised lips. It didn't take him long to kiss back. He pulled away holding her face.

"I worry." He told her.

"I'm a big girl, Gabe." She hugged his body close feeling the warmth. She slowly felt the feeling Daphne spoke of. Understanding, love, and pure innocence. "I can handle myself."

"I worry about the baby." He told her holding her lightly to his own body. He stood there holding her in the hall for a while feeling like this sort of thing was easy. Getting ready to have a child with a woman he had fallen in love with. It should have been easy. "I'm going to be in California for a few days."

"You didn't say for business." She realized releasing from their hug. He nodded slowly.

"It's a bit personal as well." He explained to her. "I'm going to find out more about myself. My family." She blinked wondering what that meant. "My mother. My real mother. She had a sister who lives in San Diego. I'm going o visit her."

"Well try to ask her if there is anything we should worry about. You know health wise." Her hand went to her stomach. He smiled taking her into his arms again. She welcomed his embrace. "I get the feeling there is more to this."

"Lately I've found it difficult to define myself as a person. Who I am." He stated in a slow smooth tone.

"We both know who you are Gabriel." She sighed listening to his all too human heart. "Who you've become."

"I want to understand where I come from. Who my mother was. I need to know her." Elle understood the need to know ones mother. She knew little about her own mother, but never felt it was important. To Gabriel his mother was important. He had grown up with a mother. A crazy one he had killed, but a mother all the same. He knew how important a mother was to a child. He had seen his mother killed before his eyes. He deserved to know who was behind the face he probably could have loved.

"Do what you have to." She told the man she loved. "I hope you find what you're looking for." She just hoped he came home safe and himself.


	31. The Painter and The Dancer

**Author's Note:** As promised Gabriel's little trip to Cali will be something to fear. Fear California!

el85: Surprisingly the whole Claude/Daphne thing wrote itself. But it does make some sort of sense. She can't be seen cause of her whole speed thing and he has invisability. It works. Oh and something is going to happen that may put a dent in the Syelle relationship, but things come full circle. :)

ellavee: 1. again daphne and claude will be featured every now and then. i think they are equally cute together.

2. elle with girl friends is something I haven't seen much. and seeing how her and daphne pretty much get along we might be seeing some more of that.

3. no, nothing good can come out of a trip away from elle. though then again something might. i might be wrong.

4. the sequel is not really a sequel as much as it is a bunch of short stories from the past and future. which is complete and utter fluff.

CHAPTER 31: The Painter and The Dancer

He looked at the window frame before the entrance. The art gallery that was located in her home. Sophia Bartello. His aunt. An artist. The place is old. Perhaps crafted somewhere in the mid 1800s or 1700s. Gabriel should know the year, but his brain is blocked by a feeling of dread. A worried feeling. Not just because he left all alone in the hotel room. Not because he's getting side tracked from their actual mission. No because he is worried what he'll find.

Will it be something like his father? Will he discover his mother was no good either? Maybe then that will clear his mind about her dying. But he knows she was good. He remembers the feeling of seeing her die. Ache, sorry, pain. If she was bad how could a five year old feel that when she died. He decides that seeing it is worth it.

He took the steps he needed to. His hand clung to the front door pulling the heavy frame open. The smell of floor cleaner and honey curls his nostrils as he enters. The home is rickety and a bit musty. The smell of dry old must does not overpower the other scents, but Gabriel can still smell it. It taints the air greatly. The paintings illuminate every inch. An index card under everyone with a price and a name in very fine hand writing. No one else is around. He can hear no footsteps except his own. No voices except the one in his head telling him this must be done.

He notices the paintings. Realism. He remembers that. The even brush strokes from a long forgotten art class in his past. He remembers how he rather use impressionism. His own take on an everyday object. The same woman appears in every painting. In one painting she is looking up at the stars. Her long pink lips pulled into an even smile as her dark brown almost black hair blows in an unseen night breeze. Her green eyes penetrating the sky with a stare.

Gabriel began to look around at the other painting. The same green eyes and soft freckles are somewhere in every painting. In a crowd, in the main focus, off to the side watching. She's in every painting. Soon enough he finds himself a painting he seems to know. The woman with the penetrating eyes is in a ballerina outfit. A pale light white. Her toes point downward as she stands leaning down.

As if by magic Gabriel finds that the painting is living. The ballerina woman spins on her toes stretching her arms to unheard music. The stage is different than the one in the picture, but he sees her dance. It fills him up with a happy feeling.

The flashback is brief, but he knows now. He leans forward touching the frame. He looks at her dark pulled back hair. The same color and shade of his. This is his mother. He remembers watching her dance. He remembers that it made him smile to watch her.

"Do you like the painting?" A voice halts him from remembering anything else. His eyes turn to see her. An aging woman enters with a large amount of wrinkles, yet she still looks remarkably good. Not at all what Gabriel pictured.

"This woman," He begins to ask pointing to the ballerina. The woman laughed. Her laugh is full of passion and hope.

"You noticed." She comes closer to him. Gabriel starts to notice her little features. The mole sitting just below her chin. The freckles against her aging face. Her light graying hair is pulled into a bun. Her dark black jacket and pants are something that looks to be from the 50's. She smells of tea leaves and dirty dishes. "She's in every painting."

"She's beautiful." His eyes fluttered to his mother. Perfect. She had to be so full of hope. He can see the woman, so much shorter than him, smile. "Who is she?"

"My sister." She explained with a long drawn out sigh. "She was my sister." He keyed into that word.

"Was?" He asked with complete curiosity. The woman seems to have trouble getting the words up.

"She made mistakes." She looked into the painting as if to see the future for herself. "She died." Of course Gabriel wasn't going to leave it at that. "That's the short version though." She took a long drag of an equally long cigarette. Gabriel hadn't been paying close enough to see when the woman had pulled it out and lit it.

"And the long version?" He wondered giving her a curious gave. She took another drag and smiled. Similar long pink lips over a wrinkled face.

"I'm a lonely woman." She told the man. "I could spare to tell this story if you'll have some tea with me." She instructed him leading him to an old kitchen. Of course Gabriel Gray followed. She hacked all the way there putting her cigarette out into an ash tray.

The kitchen was colored a pale yellow. Really pleasant coloring despite the fact the curtains were stained with rust and dust. The stove had crud on every other spot and the dishes piled up in the sink. The woman wasn't the cleanest. She handed her new companion a cup of tea. Her hands shaking a bit from the lack of nicotine. She sat herself down squeezing some honey into her tea. Gabriel watched taking a spoon from the rounded table he sat at and stirring the light brown liquid aimlessly.

"We were born in Italy." She started looking into her round cup. "Our parents like most back then were strict. I was the oldest by many years so I looked out for Natalia." The name of his own mother struck his heart from profoundly. He brought the tea to his lips to hide his relieved smile. It was a bit cold, but still soothing.

"We went to church almost every day. Our parents were very religious. They wanted us to throw ourselves into God's work. We both didn't want that. We wanted the arts. My painting. Her dancing." She dipped her spoon in stirring as well then taking another long sip. "After our parents passed on we came to America in pursuit of our dreams. Natalia was very talented. When you saw her dance you could have sworn she had been dropped right out of the sky. She almost flew with grace." The woman stared into the distance. Gabriel could tell she loved her sister.

"She immediately got a job with a dance company. She traveled all over the world with them as their youngest ballerina." She declared. Her eyes flittered to the paintings. "I didn't see her for some time. And I moved on here." By her expression Gabriel knew that this was where it got worse.

"When I heard from her again it was in a letter. She had found herself a man after the dance company had deemed her too old." She huffed speaking into her cup before sipping again. "Too old at twenty six." She drank deeply. "Her man was a taxidermist named Sammy." Gabriel tried to keep his expression tame. The man had been the one he had met. Sampson Gray who had nearly killed Elle, Luke, and himself. The man dying slowly as they spoke.

"She was so in love with that man nothing could stop her from being with him. Even after I met him and told her that he wasn't the best choice. Horrible little man." Again Gabriel contained his smile. "I never interfered. Natalia was a grown woman. She had to make her own choices. Her own mistakes." He knew she regretted that decision.

"Next letter I got after my visit with her was months later. She was declaring to me she was pregnant and her excitement switched from her new love to her baby." Gabriel kept his expression straight as Sophia Bartello spoke of his mother's excitement for his impending birth. "After Gabriel was born she doted on him. " She laughed a bit. "I swear by the way that woman talked about him you would have thought he was the smartest kid on the planet." Gabriel managed a laugh. Maybe his mother had been on to something.

"Every letter was about _her _Gabriel." She brought the tea to her lips again finishing it. "Gabriel said his first word. Gabriel took his first steps. Gabriel said he loved me today." He couldn't hide his smile any longer. His lips curved as his eyes remained sad. He knew that this woman loved him more then she had ever loved anything else. It made him more upset that she was gone.

"About a year after the last letter I worried. So I visited." She looked deep into her cup. "Sammy said they were both dead. Gabriel and my sister. He said they had died in an accident. I knew there was something up, but you see Sammy scared me as well as freaked me out. I was too afraid to do anything." She explained.

"And you left it like that. Your sister gone with no proof?" He wondered. She looked into his deep eyes shuddering a bit. Maybe she saw those same eyes she feared in Sampson in Gabriel now.

"I knew. I knew she was gone. After a year she would have contacted me. Found a way." She was trying to convince herself she wasn't at fault here. That her sister was grown woman that didn't need protecting. "So now then," The cup clicked against the table as she stood up to get more from the kettle. "Why do you want to know so much about my sister then?"

"I'm Gabriel." He told her as her back was turned. Her saw the woman's hand start to shake against the cup then immediately push it to the floor. The glass shattered abruptly. Her eyes, glassed over strangely, looked into the man's eyes and she saw the two people mix in there.

"You're . . . her . . .Gabr-iel?" Her legs went out from under her. Gabriel quickly got up as the woman clutched her chest. He pulled the older woman into his lap taking out his cell phone. He dialed the number he needed.

"911 what is your emergency?" the operator asked.

"My aunt is having a heart attack." Gabriel explained in an offhand tone. And with that Sophia Bartello fell into unconsciousness.


	32. Only Sunshine

**Author's Note:** Things are going down.

Quick question for everyone: Does anyone know what the title mean? Just wondering.

Anyway here is the beginning of the bad for our favorite couple :)

CHAPTER 32: Only Sunshine

Gabriel Gray sat. He sat in the hospital room watching the machines keeping his newly discovered aunt alive. The beeping calmed his nerves. Her heart was still beating. She was still alive. A mild heart attack they had told him when the ambulance came. She was going to get treatment. This sort of thing happened with her. She had heart failure. She had pills.

He had gone to clarify things. He couldn't just give her a heart attack and not follow through with memory. She needed to know more about him. Closure. He felt like he owed her that. She had told him so much about the woman who raised him for the first five years of his life.

A groan stirred from the woman's chest. She had been dressed in a green hospital gown. Gabriel shifted in the chair next to her bed side. Needles stuck in her aging hands. Tubes in her nose and coming from her hands. Her eyes, a thoughtful shade of brown flickered open finding Gabriel. He had been unable to find words to greet her.

"Gabri-el." Her voice chilled the air. Her hand flickered reaching out for him.

"I'm here." He assured her reaching for her hand. He held her two fingers lightly.

"Is it true?" She asked in a tired voice. Her eyes looked him over. "You are him aren't you? You have his eyes." Gabriel tipped his head down to hide the eyes of the killer. "How did you survive him?"

"He sold me." He told the woman keeping his eyes up now. "To his brother then killed my mother when she tried to come back for me." Sophia let out a breath. Her heart monitor raced. He stroked her hand trying to keep her calm. It worked. "I went to see him. He's dying. Slowly and painfully."

"Good," She coughed. "He was always the worst thing for Natalia. The only good thing was help make you." Her fingers clutched Gabriel's. She smiled lightly. "Did you grow up happy?"

"I'm not sure." He really wasn't. His father left him with his mother when he was young. His mother was slightly insane posing him to become everything she needed him to be. An outlet. "Not even sure if I grew up right." Was it his mother who caused him to become a killer or his biological father? It was the whole nature vs. nurture thing except he had no chance. He would have become what he was either way.

"I wish I could have raised you." Sophia stated slowly.

"It wouldn't have made a difference." He shrugged looking at her aging hand. She looked at him curiously. Gabriel sighed figuring he should tell this woman, his aunt who he really was.

He searched the room for something to move. He found a tissue box on the other side of her bed sitting on the end table. He kept his right hand on hers as she watched him. He pointed his index and middle finger on his left hand toward the tissue box. The heart monitor sped up slightly in wonder. He flicked his fingers upwards. The box flipped upside down to the floor. A slow gasp escaped her lips.

"I can move things." He explained as her eyes turned to him. "That's not all though. I know how things work. I can . . .take the abilities of others and make them mine." Her eyes fluttered turning back to the tissue box.

"Like him than." She whispered under her breath. He leaned forward.

"You knew my father had an ability?" He wondered holding the woman's hand with both of his. He watched her other hand. Slowly he saw it. Her skin glowed a bright pure yellow at first then the light emitted from her hand forming into a small ball of energy.

"We all did." She explained with a worn voice. Gabriel stared at the ability. Her hand slowly closed taking the light with her. "Your mother had an ability Gabriel." He looked at her once more with a questioning expression. "She could command people just by saying a simple phrase. She never used it on you though. She very rarely used her ability." Gabriel couldn't believe his mother had an ability.

Why hadn't she used it on his father the day she was killed? She could have very easily got him back. Then again he had known his mother loved Sampson Gray. Like he rarely used his power on Elle she probably never used her ability on Sampson.

"Gabriel," Her hand clutched his causing his questions to be averted for the moment. "Tell me about your life. What have you done with yourself? Who has my nephew become?" Shy watchmaker, serial killer, agent, lover, boyfriend, father-to-be. Though at the moment he wasn't sure who he was.

"Well now I live in New York. I have a watch repair shop and I live in an apartment with my girlfriend who is expecting our first child." He told his aunt hoping she wouldn't judge him. It made him wonder what Virginia Gray would have thought of his girlfriend.

"I hope you will love your child as much as your mother loved you." She patted his hand lightly.

"I will." He promised her with a soft smile. Sophia smiled slowly at him as the machine began to quickened then slowly died.

Gabriel's panic increased as he peered at the machine. Her heart was failing. He stood up watching as the woman's eyes fluttered opened and closed.

"Gabriel please," She choked a bit. "Take my ability and the letters. Please. Gabriel." Her eyes rolled toward the back of her head. The doctors rushed in immediately pushing Gabriel to the side. He stepped slowly out of the room watching as doctors rushed to save the woman.

He heard the pedals trying to bring the woman back. Gabriel already knew the woman was gone. He could hear the flat line. Clear as day. He felt tears in his eyes, but they didn't come down. They stayed inside him. One by one the doctors came out.

"I'm sorry." The lead doctor, an Indian man much like Suresh, said touching his shoulder. "We couldn't save her." Gabriel merely nodded looking at the inside of her room. At her body.

He slowly moved inside looking at the woman's body. Her dark hair still up in a bun as she laid peacefully in her bed. Her aging face in pure beauty and light. Each wrinkle had a story. Her ability lingered in his mind. He shut his eyes remembering it fondly. The ability that caused his own heart to flutter with power. With passion for the ability.

She had offered it to him. He opened his eyes looking at the woman. She had spent her whole life doing as she wanted and regretting not saving him or her sister. His mother. He didn't think badly of her. His father was strong. His father was brutal. His father was still alive while this woman was dead. He had cancer so he would die soon.

His hand brushed away a hair of dark hair. The same color as his. This woman had lived her life and used her ability how she wanted. She didn't deserve to have it taken away.

"I could never take away your gift, Aunt Sophie." He whispered her kissing the woman's forehead before escaping to more important places.

--

"You're back." Luke explained picking himself up from the bed in the hotel room. Gabriel walked in with a stack full of letters in his hand. His eyes had no hint of tears. Luke still held the phone in his hand. "Dude, it's been like six hours. I had to order room service and text Elle the whole time." The man raised an eyebrow as he slapped the letters on the desk.

"She has a doctor's appointment today and I was just checking in on her." He explained. Gabriel just shrugged sitting down in the chair. He fondled over the letters searching for the one letter he needed.

"I found what I was looking for." Gabriel stated taking out the last letter stuck in the yellowing envelope.

"Good cause we got a case if you remembered." He continued texting laughing to himself.

Gabriel ignored him for a moment. He pulled out the letter and began to read.

_Sophia, _

_ Today Gabriel and I went to the park. You should have seen my smart little guy. We went on the see saw and the swings. He loves the slide, though he's still shy about playing with the other children. I brought lunch in a little basket with sandwiches and everything. _

_ Gabriel's favorite of peanut butter and apples was served as well as cheese sandwiches. When I watch him play by himself I just am amazed he's mine. This child born of love. Mine and Sammy's love. It just doesn't seem real. He's a really clever little boy, Sophie. _

_ He loves finger painting and playing hide and seek with me. He loves solving problems and figuring out little things. He is so quizitive. Just today he asked me about the sun and if it was planet. So smart so mine. _

_ When I look at Gabriel I see the future. I see going to his home. I see him with a family. I see him with a job and a life better then what we had. I see him living his life how he wanted. He can do anything really. I see grandchildren and a daughter-in-law making Thanksgiving dinner. I see myself beside my son probably making him embarrassed in front of his children. _

_ I want Gabriel to live a long happy life. However he wants. Do whatever he wants. Be whoever he wants. I just want my son to be happy and healthy and safe. _

_ That's all a mother can ask for. _

_ Love Your Baby Sister, _

_ Natalia_

His mother spoke to him through words. In a time where she lived with hope. A place where she thought she'd survive. As Gabriel read and reread the letter he realized something. Someday everyone he loved would die. His mother, Aunt Sophia, Elle, even his child. They'd all die before him. He would live on forever with nothing, but his memories and love of his lover and child. The only one who wouldn't be able to die like him would be Claire. Maybe he was going to live in hell forever.

He'd have to watch everyone he loved die dealing with the pain every day. He couldn't handle that pain. That emotion. It would kill his insides.

"Our next target is in Santa Carlo." Luke stated beeping as he texted. "A woman, Amanda Smithson. Supposedly her ability is impenetrable skin." Gabriel's head turned as his brother continued texting. A slow ticking started in his head as wheels began to turn and a part of him long since buried started to emerge.


	33. Sylar Once More

**Author's Note:** More drama ahead!

ellavee: to tell you the truth I have no idea what the title illudes to. just wondering what you guys thought.

CHAPTER 33:Sylar Once More

Elle glanced down at her feet while she still could. She knew in the coming months her beautiful feet would disappear from her downward sight. She had voiced her concern to Luke who had responded with a mere lol. At least he had been kind enough not to say lmao. She scrunched her clothes recalling her concern with shopping for maternity clothes.

Elle usually loved clothed shopping, but not when she was getting bigger. She had tried so hard to fix Angela's handpicked wardrobe and now all her time would have been gone to waste. In close to two months she'd be looking like an over grown watermelon was stuck in her belly. She swung her feet waiting for Dr. Cho to come back with a few results.

Seeing as her and Gabriel weren't the most normal parents Dr. Cho was checking and double checking to see if anything could possibly go wrong . She was glad for the checks and rechecks. This kid was going to be messed up as it was with parents like her and Gabriel. Might as well not have any health problems to ass to the ball.

She shuffled through her purse checking her phone. Luke and Gabriel were probably still on mission. She hoped they were okay. Luke's last text had been about two hours ago. A normal bag and tag took about two hours, but she knew they had some distance to go to get to the target from the hotel. She checked the phone to see no new messages and it had been two minutes since she last checked it.

She sighed pulling down her blue beaded top. Her flared jeans flooded over her black sandals. Her blue eyes flickered up hearing the door open to the small little room in the Company.

"Well I reran the tests." Dr. Cho stated looking over a file. He soon looked up at the young woman with a smile. "You got a clean bill of health, Miss Bishop." She grinned jumping down from the table.

"Thanks, Doc." Her grin grew wide pulling back her cheek bones. "So I do have to come back at some point." She wondered tipping her head to the side.

"Yes," He said with a nod. "In two months, but in the mean time keep doing what you're doing Elle." He rubbed her back softly. As his friends. "Your baby has a great interesting family." He laughed lightly as she nodded.

"Thank you again." She said one more time and left the office. Noah was waiting for her outside.

"Everything okay?" He wondered. Elle laughed wondering how long Noah Bennet had been waiting outside.

"Peachy," She stated watching Bennet give a faint relieved sigh. "Baby's good. I'm good. It's all good."

"Good because we have a situation in accounting." She groaned. Damn Lee not being able to figure out where to take the money from the right places.

"Who did what this time?" She groaned as her and Noah walked down the hall.

"Not who did what. Who went where." Noah explained.

"I thought we explained in the last meeting that trips get taken out of the Petrelli cut. I mean we have a damn jet for a reason." Elle explained using her hands to speak.

"It seems Lee booked a commercial flight for Rebel to India. We're cutting everyone's pay to afford it." To Elle this was worse than worse. She needed money more than ever now that she had to pay for more clothes. And baby stuff.

"Damn it Lee." Elle cussed under her breath then remembered something Noah said. "India and Rebel? That sounds like recipe for disaster. "

"They're after Molly Walker." Bennet explained. "You remember the Walker system?" She did. The little girl ,all of ten forced to work for the Company. Reminded her of herself at that age.

"So you think Claire's going to be after them?" She wondered flickering her eyes at the father. He sighted. She knew it had to hurt to have to fight his daughter, but he knew deep in his heart Claire had chosen a side. Claire Bennet could not be saved.

Elle never got an answer. Down the hall was Peter. He was by them in a flash. Daphne's power in his grasp. The two eyed him deeply as his expression became panicked. It wasn't a good sign.

"Luke and Gabriel are in trouble." He stated and Elle felt her heart quicken. "Sylar's back."

--

Luke felt his body going backwards. He hit the door hard feeling the shards penetrate his skin in his arms and neck. He hit the concrete hard on the sidewalk. His shoulder cracked as he cried out hissing and cussing in pain. He saw a foot by his head, but was sure it wasn't his brother.

"Hey Peter." He groaned through pain. "What up?"

"Luke," Elle's voice interrupted standing close to Peter with panic crusting over her eyes. "What's going on?"

"He . . .well . . .he's not well." Luke explained stumbling up. The two could see how unwell Luke was. Blood dripped from a fresh wound on his forehead. The boy cradled a sore arm seeing his pants had been ripped. A soft wound on the back of his head formed into a bump. His lips were bloody and cracked. "We got in there and everything was cool until he saw her." He motioned to the car in driveway. A dark SUV. "He got this look in his eye. Hungry. He threw me to the wall. Then Sabotage came." Sabotage? Elle's heart quickened.

"He killed Anna. The brain draining girl." Luke explained feeling his eye begin to swell. Great a black eye from his brother. "Claire and Perrin blotted out of there like no one's business. I tried to stop him because he started to take the target and her husband hostage, but he wasn't going to let me get in the way of his 'need'." He blinked hard. "Why does everyone keep tossing me to the side? Is my power not worth it?"

"He's going to kill her." Peter concluded. Elle stared into the home. She couldn't see her boyfriend. Gabriel or Sylar. Whoever he was.

"What's her ability?" Elle asked looking at the two.

"Impenetrable skin." Luke stated. Elle immediately knew the power was too tempting, though something more had to drive him over the edge. She didn't care. Her feet took her forward. Peter snatched her arm.

"Elle," Peter said as her eyes met his. "I am not letting you go in there. At least not by yourself."

"Peter we are running out of time." She explained. "Right now he's in there ready to kill that woman. I'm the only one that can get through to him."

"Hello brother." Luke called waving his good arm.

"Hello," Elle mocked waved. "Already tried. Besides your betrayal is too fresh in his mind. And you've never dealt with Sylar." She looked into the doorway going with Peter and Luke following behind her.

The threesome were not quiet coming in. Knowing Sylar he probably already knew they were there. He probably was waiting. Elle could tell as she entered the living room the couple had just moved in. The hard wood floor was newly polished with a quaint little shine.

The only thing on the floor was a green arm chair and a light green couch. The woman was lying stuck on the couch. Her dark brown hair was sprayed across the arm of the couch. She wore a light blue dress polka dotted with small white dots. The man looked a bit older then the twenty something woman. He had dark hair as well and a small beard. Both looked scared and frozen, though there was a hint of annoyance in the woman's eyes.

"Hello Elle." His voice. She turned seeing him. Dark clothes. Dark expression Dark voice. This was Sylar. This was pure evil in the making. His smile curled at the sides. His hands behind his back showing off that he could use his power with only a look could keep those individuals frozen in place. Elle's heart dropped just a little.

"Gabriel, please." She begged. "You don't have to do this." Her eyes sank watching his expression become darker. His hand flee up and Elle felt her body collide to the wall. She choked lightly.

"My name is Sylar!" He cried at her holding his hand up to keep her against the wall.

"Don't do this." Peter said stepping forward. Sylar's expression turned to Peter. He lifted his head watching him carefully.

"Or what?" He threatened. "You'll kill me?" Elle felt the grip around her neck become tighter. She gasped tilting her head back.

"Stop!" Luke's hand came forward as too stepped forward. Sylar's hand grew red scolding. He recoiled it as Elle dropped to the floor going on all fours. She coughed and choked out taking in breathes.

"So my brother decides to fight back for his lady love?" Sylar grinned stretching his hand as the charred burned skin was released by new skin. Luke sneered at his brother.

"I'm just trying to stop you from making a mistake." He explained looking at the couple slowly moving.

"If you don't stay down you'll ruin the game." Sylar told the couple. The two choked greatly as the man flicked his wrist downward. Quickly he turned his hand back to Luke curling a heat wave at the boy's face. He fell backwards crying out in pain to the floor.

"Luke." Elle coughed watching the boy's red face burn then slowly become a full color. Her eyes watered watching as Peter collided with Sylar.

The two fell to the floor and Elle witnessed the husband stand to his feet struggling to move to the two. Sylar's fist collided into Peter's face using his ability to change his fist into a hard metal. Peter's jaw cracked a bit. A slow scream curled from the young man's lips. It didn't take long for Peter to focus his attack on Sylar's stomach. He tackled him to the floor. Meanwhile the young husband dug into his pocket. A knife?

"Gabriel, why are you throwing this away?" Peter asked through a painful jaw.

"I told you," Sylar explained as blood drizzled from his lip, his wound already healed. "My name is Sylar." He pushed his hand forward sending the man away from him. Elle watched Sylar stand up. The man with the knife stumbling toward him. He stared at Elle with a villainous smile. She struggled to stand up. "Don't struggle Elle." He bent down to look into her eyes. He grabbed her chin squeezing her cheeks as a gasp escaped her lips. "It was only a matter of time before this happened. Relapse." The knife rose.

"Behind. You." She squeezed out. Tears curling down her cheeks touching his hand. His eyes immediately focused on her in a bit of realization. The man's hand paused mid air.

"No!" Amanda Smithson cried. Sylar got up and turned with a quick motion.

"So foolish." The evil man stated snapping the husband's hand. He screamed out in a long painful cry. Sylar took the knife plunging it into his throat moving it across. Elle recognized the death. The same as his own. Her heart again dropped as the body fell. The wife cried.

"You bastard!" She struggled to get up, but he focused on her. "You killed him! My husband! You-you- you." Tears of panic flooded her pale expression. "No, no, no!" Sylar watched the pain cross her face as if curious. Elle found her body revolt against the helplessness she felt inside.

She was not going to let him do this to her. Let her be weak. She wasn't. She was far from that. She released out a wave of electricity hitting every living thing in the room. A roll of outcry curled the air as she slowly stood up.

"I am sick of this!" She shouted spitting out electric fury. Sylar sizzled from the burn of electric. Peter and Luke stood off to the side still stunned by the death. Watching as the blood spilled to the polished wood. Pooling up. "Luke, Peter, leave." Sylar grinned shifted his weight. Something interesting was going to happen.

"No way. He just killed a man." Luke went before Peter who was looking at Elle with fear. She did not seem herself. Her eyes were full of fury and fire. Her body crouched as if she were a lioness on the prowl. A savage predator ready to take on the alpha male threatening her family.

"Luke, Peter." She said in a thick furious and serious tone. "Get out or I will send you out of here." Peter watched her. Her eyes turned to him. Briefly full of hope. Last hope. She had to try to save him. On her own at the very least. Something she needed.

"You'll let us go . . .Sylar." Peter hissed the name. Sylar nodded.

"Just you and Luke." He explained keeping his eyes on Elle. The woman who was about to challenge him.

Luke and Peter exchanged expressions. Luke was against going, but Peter had to leave with Luke. Gabriel and Elle loved each other. She was the only one to get through to him. They slowly left the home without the target on their own.

"So," Sylar grinned coming forward. "Alone at last." He took a strand of her light blonde hair moving it out of the way.

"You don't have to do this, Sylar." She felt her body slam again to the wall. He held out his hand close to her neck hovering over lightly.

"You're wrong." He stated pushing his palm closer to her neck, her skin. "I do."

"May I ask why?" She wondered stretching her neck forward as she was pressed against the wall.

"She has power. I need it." He tried the line again looking at the woman who grit her teeth on the sofa. "I crave it."

"And me?" She asked managing to tilt her head. "Are you going to kill me? " His eyes focused on his lover again. Was he? Was he really going to make everything not worth it anymore? "I love you." He knew she loved him. Her words were full of heart. Emotion. Pain. He felt pain hurting her like this.

"I don't know." He explained. "I love you, Elle." He admitted with a cruel tone. "I know that. Deep inside me I want it to save me, but love doesn't save people. It hurts. Love and pain go hand and hand." She felt her throat closed a bit. "I can't handle that. Love, pain. It's too much to bear. It's emotion. It's weak. You. Are. A . Weakness."

"The baby." She choked. She felt the force slowly leave her. His eyes flickered to her again letting his hands fall to his sides. "Are you going to kill the baby? Our baby." She wondered feeling her eyes land on his. Dark and slightly emotional. "It's innocent."

He knew she was right. He didn't kill innocents. Elle wasn't. She had turned him into a monster. A horrible person who had taken an ability he now regretted. But he did love her. No matter how much he denied it. He could never kill the woman he loved. He feared seeing her die. Watching her die slowly. Her age and crumble to dust, but he couldn't be the one to take away her light. Her life. His child's life before it had a chance to see the world. He released her.

Elle pressed her hands to the wall taking a deep breath. She choked slowly grabbing her neck. She knew her love for Gabriel ran to her love for Sylar. The killer. The one she made. The one who had returned. Just now she realized that the pressure of family and new love was getting to him. His heart only had so much room. He had spent so much time as an emotionless monster it had to come back to haunt him.

"Bitch," Amanda curled out. "You bitch, how could you love a man who murders people?" His eyes flickered to her about to push her down or choke her, but a blue electric rattled her body. She arched her back in complete pain.

"Who's the bitch now?" Elle asked sarcastically shaking her head. "Okay me since I shocked you I guess, but . . .oh just kill her already." She poked her hand at the woman. Sylar choked his head to the side like a curious dog.

"Didn't I just try to kill you?" He wondered. "You trying distract me with another victim?"

"No . . .maybe." She shrugged looking at the woman. She spat out at them. Pretty far. Far enough for the salvia to get on Elle's shoe. "Make it quick." She said in an almost shaky, but serious tone.

"With pleasure." He sauntered forward to the woman lying on the couch. He straddled her making Elle feel a pang of jealously. Her heart quickened as she watched him point at the woman's head.

"Impenetrable skin, genius." Elle said folding her arms across her chest and rolling her eyes. He groaned looking at her oddly. The woman who had fear in her eyes as the man in the dark tight high collared shirt and dark dress pants tried to think how to kill her.

"Let's make this work." Elle watched as Sylar spoke. His hand prying open her mouth.

Elle watched every moment of his removal of her brain. Slimy gross removal. She wasn't sure how it worked, but he focused his eyes on the brain pressing a spot. Blood coated the couch as blood pooled from her mouth. She pressed her body against the wall. Breathing slowly. Murder didn't exactly calm her nerves. Her heart raced, not in fear, but in excitement.

"You've never seen me kill. Have you?" He chuckled softly. Her eyes flickered to him. His hands were being rubbed against a handkerchief. That he had kept in his pocket or found on the victim? What did it matter? "Claire doesn't count. She can't die." His lips curved into a smile. Her face seemed unresponsive. He walked slowly to her studying her expression. She couldn't look in his eyes. "How does it make you feel? Seeing me kill?" He pressed his hands either side to her against the wall.

Her eyes finally met his. Her lips twitched into a faint yet sexy smile. He watched her body shift slowly.

"Hungry." She concluded and grabbed the back of his head pressing it to hers. Their lips met in deep force and Gabriel knew this woman was going to be the person who would be there with him through anything.


	34. Slipping

**Author's Note:** The aftermath. All questions will be answered to which the next chapters will be lighter. Very much so.

So enjoy a little fluff.

CHAPTER 34: Slipping

Elle found her hand pressed against her boyfriend's chest. Her eyes blinked open feeling the thudding heart of her Gabriel. Or Sylar. Whoever he was he was lying beneath her. Elle looked at the array of clothes scattered across the floor. Her lips planted against the warm skin as her hair feathered behind.

"Oh boy." She whispered letting the whole incident come over her in a single memory. "This is a problem." She lifted herself off Gabriel looking into his eyes. He looked at her with a smile.

"Problem?" His face dropped slightly looking about the room. "Yeah, big problem."

Elle looked around the room. Two bodies. Two dead bodies. Then again neither could be pinned to them. Well except for Amanda's. Her brain laid scattered in bloody pieces on the floor. She put her foot to the floor feeling it slid. She pressed closer to Gabriel's chest. He caught her laughing. She couldn't help, but laugh. Was there something wrong with her?

"No," She hit his chest lightly. He winced. "This is wrong Gabriel." She didn't seem very convinced.

"So you are bothered by what happened." He stated matter of factly putting his hands behind his head.

"If I was bothered by this I would have left ages ago." She explained leaning forward to kiss his lips.

"Again a problem." He whispered as her lips released his.

"Big fat problem." She sighed putting her ear heart again. "We always work out the kinks in our bizzaro relationship." Her feet slipped in the blood giggling a bit. He held her to his chest pointedly.

"You can't go crazy on me, Elle." He informed her kissing her forehead. "One of us has to be grounded."

"I tortured. You killed." She pointed out. "Neither of us has our feet firmly planted on the ground." She reached over grabbing her boyfriend's pants. "Why don't you put your pants on Mr. Gray? Not sure if accounting is going to cover this." She mumbled to herself retrieving her own bottoms.

She slid her pants back on looking over the bodies. The husband's neck had already fully bled out. His eyes open in cloudy fear. She could only look at Amanda's bloody hand that had fallen limply from the couch.

Gabriel put on his dark clothing coated in deep red stains. Elle's lips twitched looking down at her own stains. She looked at the man she had just witnessed murder two people. A third he had killed today was nowhere to be seen.

"You want to talk about what made you slip?" She asked peeking at him from under her lashes. He sighed probably hoping Elle wouldn't bring it up. Maybe even forget he had ever slipped in the first place. Probably very unlikely, but it had been worth a shot.

"I met my aunt." He admitted to her in a quiet tone. She watched his expression. "She told me about my mother. Gave me her letters. All before she passed." She watched him carefully raising her eyebrows.

"And you decided to murder three people because . . . ?" She wondered knowing that didn't condone killing people.

"Seeing her die, reading my mother's letter, it made me realize I'm going to have to watch you die." He took a step forward placing his hand on her stomach. "Watch our child die." She looked deep into his eyes.

"So killing a woman with impenetrable skin did what? Make you more invincible?" She really didn't get him. He let a sheepish smile cross his face.

"I got power hungry when I realized there was basically no point in trying anymore." No point in trying. She looked into his eyes. "Seeing you brought me back. Whoever I am. Whatever I am."

"Did trying to kill me help?" Elle wondered cocking her eyebrow.

"Would it be weird if I said yes?" Elle shook her head. It had been an odd day. Besides Gabriel had his own way of handling things.

"Hey I tried to kill you many times after my father died." Elle retorted though left out the part where he had actually killed her father. "We deal with things differently. If I recall that's what makes us human." She padded his chest lightly.

"True." He laughed stroking her hair. "I just know that someday-" She put her finger to his lips.

"Gabriel," She warned him. "Future is the future. Live everything moment to moment. When it happens think on your feet." She didn't want to think about herself dying. She knew she only had to worry about herself and the baby. Gabriel was pretty much immortal. "Hey and look on the bright side," She grinned. "You can always blow your brains out." Gabriel didn't find her little joke amusing.

"Yeah, bright side." He rolled his eyes promptly. He looked down at the blood. The body of the dead man.

The cold eyes that had slipped from existence. He had slipped from existence as well. Whenever he became hungry for power he felt the need slowly pull him in. The hunger. His body slipping slowly into his own madness. When he realized he was slipping before he hadn't tried to fight it. He needed the power. To protect Elle. To protect his baby. The baby he had sworn to his aunt to protect. To love. He loved two people. Elle and his child. He needed to protect them. To be with them.

He bent down slowly closing the eyes of the man he murdered. For a good reason. The three people he had killed today had been for good reasons. In his mind. Anna was going to use her ability to hurt him. To take him from his girlfriend and child. Amanda Smithson's husband had tried to hurt him. Grant it not kill him, but seeing him die again hurt Elle. His Elle. He couldn't let her suffer. Amanda had truly died due to the fact she had pissed off Elle. If Elle hadn't pushed him maybe the woman would still be alive.

"You got any idea how we're going to explain this to the She-Devil?" Elle asked snapping him from his thoughts. He peered at the woman who merely stared into his eyes. He stood up again just looking at her. "What?" He stepped closer to her.

"Do you think I'm a good person?" He wondered with a brief sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if you'd be better off with someone like Peter or Luke. Someone who isn't going to try and choke you just to make himself feel better." Elle came up to Gabriel taking the man's cheeks in either of her hands.

"Gabriel Gray," She breathed slowly. "If I wanted someone like Peter or Luke I would be with either Peter or Luke. You slipped. It happens to the best of us." She smiled into his face. "Your intentions were good. I know that. Let's work on a little thing called control, okay Big Boy." She smacked his shoulder starting to walk toward the back door.

"I still don't know who I am anymore." He told her as she paused in her steps. He had been so many things. He had been a nephew today. He had been a serial killer again. A lover. A protector. Who was he?

"We both know who you are Gabriel." She turned around to look at him letting her lips curve into a smile. "You are the man I love. No matter how much you screw up." He smiled realizing he could be that for her.


	35. Time Away

**Author's Note:** Sometimes I wish Gabriel and Elle were still evil too. But there will be some new sides to those two. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 35: Time Away

Peter and Luke trailed along the Company halls. It had been about one and a half weeks since the incident at the Smithson home. Or former. Peter didn't actually like to think about it. Luke had decided to block the incident out.

They were on their way to management to speak about some time off. Gabriel and Elle seriously needed some time off. A nice vacation treat that Peter and Luke were happy to treat them too. Of course Luke and Peter needed a bit vacation too. Everyone in the Company needed some vacation time. Though do to the recent death that Gabriel had caused Peter figured that was something to explain the need for a vacation.

"Food before Noah?" Luke asked shoving his thumb toward the two silvery white doors.

"Sure, kid." Peter slapped the young man's back as he shoved the doors open. It was a bit early in the morning.

The eating area was nearly empty. White and quiet in a silent unforeseen manner. Luke raised his eyebrows at Peter. It was either they knew Peter and Luke were coming or lunch was awful today. It couldn't be though. Lulu was the best cook either man had ever had the fortune to run across. She was a professional. Peter glanced down at his watch. Damn it had stopped again.

"Luke, time." He instructed snapping his fingers.

"Way to be demanding." The young man pulled out his phone tucked safely in his holey jeans pocket. "Twelve twenty." He said watching Peter look at his watch again. "Give it here Petrelli." This time it was Luke doing the snapping.

Peter stared at Luke for all of two seconds. It was an expensive watch, but he knew the boy was learning from the best watchmaker in the city. If his watch was broken more so at Luke's hands Gabriel would fix it. He was excellent at fixing anything.

"Ask Lulu for one of those tiny forks, a tiny screw driver, and tweezers ." Luke waved taking a seat at a rounded table with two chairs. He was in focus mode. Peter stared a bit then heard Luke sigh. His eyes, hard and serious, stared up at the dark haired man. "I helped in the kitchen once. Just ask for them." He started waving his hand shooing him away.

As Peter turned he saw something duck behind the counter. A blur of red and peach. Peter smiled walking slowly over to the counter where Lulu set the trays that were ready to be taken. He placed his hands on the cool dark blue counter looking over the edge to the other side. There under the counter was a head of pulled back brown hair. Her red blouse flaring out in the back.

"You looking for something Lu?" Peter asked hiding his small playful laugh. Her big brown eyes looked up at him. Her face a bit flustered.

"Dropped a," She searched the floor picking up something quickly. "Fork!" She grinned holding the tiny fork up. She popped up quickly showing her slender frame. "You guys need something?" She peered at Luke fiddling with the big watch.

"He probably needs better light." Peter laughed at Luke's expense.

"Oh," She nodded leaning toward the light switches making the light in the room brighter. She saw Luke peer up waving at her as a thank you. "Anything else?"

"Tiny fork, screw driver, and tweezers." The young man stated leaning slightly on the counter. Lulu put up her finger signaling one minute. She rushed off and Peter Petrelli heard the rustling in the drawer. She came back with a small box.

"I set it aside for him. He's always fixing watches and even my iPod." She grinned handing the box off to Peter. "I'm going to assume you want some food too." She smiled half heartedly. Peter nodded. "Chicken alfredo pizza okay? I just got it right. Made three pies for lunch."

"That actually sounds really good." He said almost drooling at the sound of chicken.

"Coming right up, Mr. Petrelli." She gave him a little salute before going back to the island area where a metal circular tray laid. Peter quickly handed off the box to Luke.

"Come here often, Box Boy?" Petrelli teased messing with his hair. Luke just had an odd grin while pushing Peter's hand away.

"Peter," Lulu called holding two paper plate, each with a dripping slice of pizza. "They're hot, but I've cooled them down. If you want them cooler you can ask Luke or me. I've been showing him how to absorb heat." Peter nodded quietly.

"Thanks Lulu." Peter explained with a soft smile. "I'm sure the pizza is great."

Peter walked back to the table balancing the plates very professional like. Before college he had worked once as a waiter. For a about a year and he hated it, but he had picked up some balancing talents from the low point in his life. Luke was grinning as Peter sat handing off his tray.

"What?" Peter asked looking around seeing Lulu was quietly watching them. She quickly turned her head heading back into the kitchen.

"She was watching you when we came in." Luke said still looking at the watch. "She is totally making eyes at you." Peter turned looking toward the kitchen. Lulu passed with a pizza cutter far off in the distance. Not even looking at him. He chewed on the end of his warm slice. It was heaven in his mouth.

"No way." He concluded after a few seconds of thought. "She kept a box for you."

"I fix things for her." Luke stated closing the watch. "It's done. You had a cog off track. Little fluff got in." He handed Peter the watch. "Besides I could never get a girl."

"Didn't you get a girl on the other side?" Peter was referring to the travels of Luke which he had told to him and Alex. About the fiery red head who had electrified his world and shown him what life was about.

"Yeah, but she was evil." Luke concluded looking at the slice. "Besides I didn't get to keep her." He took a bite and made a tastefilled noise. "Lulu is the best. This is like frickin dying."

Peter nodded. Anyone who said something bad about Lulu French's cooking would have to deal with them. Peter watched to see a familiar face walk through the doors of the cafeteria. He knew the quiet could only last so long.

"The cafeteria." His mother directed showing off the quiet brightly lit room to the young girl. Peter had seen pictures. Molly Walker. The girl Rebel had taken from India. The girl who tracked people. Micah was beside her wearing black slackers and a striped t-shirt. They were around the same age so they probably had some connection. "Hello boys."

Luke sighed. He wasn't an Angela Petrelli fan, though Peter could have been a member of the fan club. He greeted his mother with a little wave. A mere wave to his mother. The pizza was that good. She continued on taking the two preteens to the kitchen. He saw Lulu see them and grin like a mad woman. The poor girl adored children like no one's business.

"Did you here who went after them?" Luke asked shoving more pizza in his mouth as he spoke. Peter just shook his head. "Matt Parkman and a shapeshifter." Peter swallowed what was in his mouth. He knew about Molly's situation. Matt Parkman and Mohinder Suresh were once her foster dads. That must have been hard on her having the two people she trusted on the other side, but he had heard she had chosen this side on her own.

"You want to go search out Noah?" Luke had already finished his slice when Peter asked. Peter had wolfed it down a while ago.

The two stood up from their table leaving their garbage there. Peter wiped his hand across his mouth seeing the three people come in. Abigail, her fiancé, Lee, and the utterly snobby Sparrow. Luke looked down pushing his chair in when he felt a soft push against him. He cussed under his breath as his ankle hit the leg of his chair.

Peter glanced over at Sparrow. She had on an innocent carefree expression. Luke pushed his lips together. Peter and Luke walked out of the cafeteria slowly. Luke sort of limped.

"God damn, hippie!" Luke shouted as the door shut. He leaned against the wall.

"She didn't bump you that hard." Peter tried to encourage him to walk. He shook his head rubbing his sore ankle.

"Bumped the right spot. I hate that woman." Luke stated wincing in pain. Peter pulled his arm telling him to walk.

"Walk it off Luke." He stated patting his back. Luke did as Peter commanded him to.

The pair headed down the hall toward the man with horn rimmed glasses new office space. Luke cracked his ankle before entering allowing it to make a loud popping noise. Peter winced holding the door out for him. The boy nodded in appreciation.

Inside Noah Bennet sat at a desk that took up a good portion of the room. His desk was cluttered with old and new files. He grabbed a file rereading it over and over again with a red pen fixing whatever needed to be fixed then turning to his business calendar on the wall and writing in something. His eyes soon met the boys.

"Peter, Luke," He greeted with a half smile that made the two know he too suffered from overwork. "What can I do for you?"

"We're here wondering if we can have some vacation time." Luke stated immediately. His run in with Sparrow had really made him want out of the Company and her way for a while.

"For Gabriel and Elle too." Peter came in. "I really think they're a bit over worked and seeing how Mom seems to think they're going to be important to whatever big thing is coming I think they could use some down time."

"You wouldn't be wrong in that thought." Noah laughed a bit to himself. "I don't see why you four couldn't go on a little trip. Five days maybe a week at most." Luke and Peter nodded as Noah shifted to writing on a post it note. "So where do you two think you'll be headed?" Peter and Luke just exchanged looks grinning. They already had their plan in motion.

--

"Isn't this fun!" Elle exclaimed bouncing on the king sized bed in the suite.

"Oodles of fun Elle." Daphne flopped backwards on it with a smile. The older blonde collapsed beside her giggling.

She really couldn't believe Peter and Luke had gotten them a vacation. A vacation in Las Vegas. Elle had always wanted to see the city in the middle of the dessert. Grant it it had been to drink up a storm and now she was in Nevada she knew she couldn't drink anything. Baby and all. Still she was glad her, Gabriel, and the rest of her little family could enjoy some vacation time away from murder and mayhem. She was just glad she could convince Daphne to come. Her closest gal pal would enjoy Vegas too.

"Don't have too much fun drinking." Elle giggled looking at the short haired blonde with the big silver hoop earrings and lightly done makeup.

"Swear I won't." Daphne faked crossed her heart. "This is a nice suite you and Gabriel have to yourself." She curled up a bit on the soft light red comforter. "I mean there's four sheets too many on the mattress, but still sweet." Elle smiled at her friend.

"I still can't believe you are staying with Luke and Peter." Elle recalled as Daphne pretended to sleep.

"Claude isn't the jealous type like Gabriel." Daphne went on eyes still closed. "Besides," She flickered her soft brown eyes open. "I would have brought him, but he is backed up with mission reports. The rest of the team have to work on two of the case reports and recall everything that happened. New threat in Parkman and Mr. I-Change-Shapes and all." Elle nodded recalling that the Speed Demons had been the first ones to face the gruesome twosome. The two women then heard a knock come at the door.

"It's open!" Elle called sitting up on the bed. Peter stepped in wearing a loose fitting green tie around his neck and black slackers with a white button down shirt. "You two going to a strip club?" The woman teased. She heard Luke huff.

"I'm not going to use my fake id on a strip club I can already get into." The young man puffed stepping in. Luke was wearing a dark maroon t-shirt with a black skull with roses growing out of it. He had on tan shorts with a million pockets.

"You guys ready for your show?" The Petrelli boy asked. Daphne sat up immediately.

"Do we look ready Petrelli?" A hint of sarcasm lingered, but Peter never could tell when Daphne was being sarcastic. She was wearing a light pink skirt that flared at her muscular calves and a white blouse that scrunched at her chest. Elle wore a dark blue blouse and black slacks. Nothing fancy.

"Yes?" Peter questioned almost afraid the speedster would run head on to him.

"You are correct." Elle stated with a smile as the two got off the big bed. "Don't wait up." She laughed as they passed the two young men.

"No we won't." Peter called watching the women leave for their show.

"We've got something else planned." Luke called as well letting his smile run across his face.


	36. Punch Drunk Love

**Author's Note:** Oh my goodness this chapter was one of my favorites to write. We have some romance, some hijinks, and some disasterous plans from Peter and Luke. ENJOY!

CHAPTER 36: Punch Drunk Love

"I fold." Luke stated slamming his card on the circular table in Peter, Luke, and Daphne's room. The two older man stared up at him.

"Luke we aren't playing poker." Peter stated peaking at the young boy's cards. "And besides you would have won if we were." He flipped the cards over laying them out. Gabriel hide a soft weak smile.

"Well the hell I know." Luke shrugged. He picked up a glass of ice tea. Peter claimed he wasn't going to have Luke drunk tonight. He could have the casinos be at fault. His mother's influence could only do so much. "I can't gamble."

"Nor should you be." Gabriel stated glancing at his cards. Peter took a sip of his beer. "What game were playing any way?" Peter shrugged glancing over at Gabriel's cards. "No cheating Petrelli." He rolled his eyes lightly looking back as his own cards.

"Uh let's go with Go Fish." He didn't seem sure of the game he had decided to play. They had just been staring at their cards for about five minutes. Peter placed a pair of twos and kings on the table. Only three cards in his hand. Gabriel placed down a set of sevens. Luke had none. He took another drink of his ice tea. "So want to tell me your intentions with Miss Bishop?"

Luke choked on his ice tea letting it back wash into his glass. The sound of drowning and watery coughs exhausted the room. Gabriel merely looked up at a smiling indifferent Peter with cold dark eyes.

"Have any aces?" He merely asked the younger man.

"Go fish." He said with the same silly grin. Gabriel nodded then reached for the cards. He took one peeking at it then putting it back in his hand. "You didn't answer my question. What do you plan on doing with Elle?"

"Yeah what?" Luke inched forward on the chair that was made for the desk on next to the 25 inch television set. The dark haired man looked between the two boys. His eyebrows raised in confusion until he realized what their stupid smiles were for.

"You guys want me to marry her." He pushed the cards forward giving up the stupid game. "I knew Vegas was going to be no good."

"You got her knocked up." Luke explained. Gabriel peeked from under his fingers. "The least you could do is give her a big fat diamond ring."

"And a grand old wedding." Peter grinned sipping on his bottle of Miller Lite. Gabriel just groaned. "Oh come on Gabriel," He smacked his shoulder lightly. "Don't tell me you haven't seen her face every time she sees a white dress or even cake. Lulu made a white cake for Monica's birthday last weekend and she kept looking at it."

"Ever think she might be hungry?" Gabriel asked with complete sarcasm.

Sure he had noticed. What idiot boyfriend would he have been if he hadn't. He noticed her looking at wedding magazines at the grocery store. He noticed her walking slow pass the dress shops. He was really doing this all backwards. He had been raised to get married then have babies. Not the other way around. Then again he was always told to be special.

"She's frustrated and we want to know why you haven't even asked her yet." Peter pondered watching as Gabriel placed his hands on his knees. The two older men sat far from each other on the couch, but that didn't mean they weren't close. The three men had one thing in common and that was former and/or present feelings for Elle Bishop.

"I'm not the marrying man, Peter." He said softly and slowly. "Yes maybe once upon a time, but that fairy tale left as soon as I killed my first person. As soon as I became a monster." He looked at his fingertips as if the blood was stained on it.

"At one point in my life that's all I ever wanted." He leaned back letting the cushioned dark red couch steady him. His eyes flickered up at the ceiling. "A wife, some kids, a good job, a clean house. I wanted to be normal, but I know I'm not. I know I can never be normal. I'm not that guy any more. I'm a changed man."

Peter watched the man's reaction. Man he needed some fun. Luke knew that as well. Gabriel Gray was depressed. Nobody could get depressed in Vegas.

"Seriously," Luke started. "I need to get this fake id into good use." He waved the id of himself in the air claiming he was someone by the name of Anthony. "You with me Unmarrying Man?" He leaned forward nudging his brother. The man looking into his eyes.

"You gambling?" He asked. Luke just grinned.

"I want booze." Luke decided to say.

"I'll drink to that." Peter downed the rest of his bottle of alcohol. Gabriel Gray laughed standing up.

"Let's get this party started then." He said with a grin. Peter and Luke exchanged looks. This party was only at the beginning.

--

Daphne yanked Elle from the arena of the show before the crowds could poor out. The young blonde wrinkled her face as Daphne sped walk out. Even without using her ability she was fast. Elle looked back at the clapping audience in the large theater.

"Come on Daph," She called following behind the pixie haired blonde in the pink skirt. "They were five minutes from an encore. Don't tell me you didn't want that." Daphne merely stopped pivoting on her feet.

"Take a look at this." She said shoving the phone in Elle Bishop's face. She took the red cell phone from Daphne looking at her. Daphne pushed it forward urging her to take it.

U guys might want to come to Blondies right now. 

"If I hold your hand-" Elle started to say after seeing Peter's text.

"Three steps ahead of you Bishop." Daphne swung the pregnant woman on her back as if she were a backpack. Elle shut her eyes feeling the jolt of speed move pass her. "Open your eyes, woman."

Elle flickered her eyes opened jumping from the woman's back. Two men walked passed eyeing them widely. Had they never seen two blondes in their life? Elle gave them an inhuman death stare that kept them walking into the bar averting their eyes from the women they had wanted to get the numbers of.

"Have you been putting on weight?" Daphne asked cracking her back. Elle rolled her eyes.

"I'm pregnant Daphne." She stated looking at the younger woman. "If I didn't gain weight I'd be in trouble."

"How much?" Daphne asked looking her over. "Seriously, you got the littlest baby bump in the world." She placed her hand on the little bump in the fabric of Elle's shirt.

"Okay, let's not talk about my weight." She pushed the woman's hands off. "Peter's text has me just the slightest bit worried." Daphne shrugged with a nod.

"He did sound all urgent." They walked toward the doors of the bar hopefully, yet nervous. "As urgent as anyone could sound in a text."

Elle gave a small laugh as she walked in with Daphne to the darkly lit bar. The sound of deep depressing music mused in the air, but laughter curdled the air like spoiled milk. Elle's eyes focused on the source of the laughter. Gabriel Gray had a lazy arm around Peter Petrelli at the bar who was putting a beer to his lips. Luke was just watching from the bar stool beside Peter who sat on his bar stool loosely.

"You know you-r-r a great g-guy Peter." Gabriel slurred running his fingers over his cheek. Peter laughed a bit confused. Like he had unwilling unleashed a worse monster then he imagined. Daphne hid a laugh.

"Well your boyfriend is hammered." Daphne laughed covering her mouth. Elle rolled her eyes.

"He can't be unless he has serious alcohol poisoning." Elle muttered slapping Daphne's shoulder. "Petrelli!" She called at the boy. Three sets of dark eyes were on her.

"Elle!" Gabriel called with a huge childish. He looked at Elle like she was a long lost teddy bear he had not come across in ages. He came at her with a bear hug tilting her back and planting a kiss on her.

Elle immediately smelt the alcohol on his breath. She felt his tongue jam down her throat. His lips moved dangerously against hers. His hands cradled her neck keeping her stuck to his mouth. She wanted to shock him, but had never met a drunk Gabriel. What if drunk Gabriel reverted back to regular Sylar? The sound of Peter clearing his throat made Gabriel release her.

"Elle, I missed you." He hugged her tightly in a little sob. "Don't leave again. Kay?" Elle pat her boyfriend's back lightly.

"Promise." She swore then mouthed a quick 'what did you do to him?' to Peter." She felt hands squeeze her bottom. "Gabriel, hands, public!" She called pushing his eager hands away. Luke snickered as a couple bar flies did as well.

"How did this happen?" Elle asked ignored Gabriel, who was smelling her hair lightly pulling it through his fingers.

"What? We had a few drinks." Peter shrugged as Daphne hopped on a bar stool.

"Yeah, I live with this man," She shoved a finger toward Gabriel. "I've never seen him drunk. I've seen him drink, but not drunk." Arms came around her.

"Isn't she the greatest Peter?" Gabriel nibbled on Elle's ear.

"See what you've done." Elle encouraged. She felt the arms slip from her and watched as Gabriel sunk to the stool beside Daphne.

"I miss my mom." He dunked his head on the woman's shoulder. Daphne looked at Elle with pleading eyes. She just moved on to scold Peter some more.

"Uh there there." Daphne tried out comforting Gabriel by patting his head.

"It's just . . .she was always there for me even with her snow globes and I always thought of her and she just wanted what was best for me and I miss her." He ducked his head sobbing softly. Daphne just continued to pat his head with a confused look in her eyes.

"Mood swings, Peter. Mood swings!" Elle smacked Peter upside the head.

"Hey, Peter was only trying to have fun." Gabriel defended catching her hand. "Wow your hands are nice." He kissed her palm and Elle felt her heart race.

"Stop that!" She said pulling her hand away. "How many drinks?"

"We lost count." Luke admitted. "At fifty five."

"That's completely no legal." She whispered loudly between the two boys.

"I don't actually think it is legal for you two to be out." Peter joked drinking his beer some more. Elle made a serious face before taking the beer from him. "Hey!"

"No," She handed it to Luke. "You made him like this. Why should you get to be drunk too?" Peter shrugged looking over at Gabriel. "Seriously why did you get him drunk?"

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas Elle." Gabriel slurred lightly. He grabbed a chunk of her hair. "You have pretty hair." Elle liked the flattery, but constant kind of bugged her.

"Don't you like this Elle?" Peter joked again with a small laugh.

"He might hurt himself." She hissed at him. The two boys and even Daphne laughed out loud. "Peter, this is dangerous."

"Don't sweat it Bishop. I got it covered." He winked at her.

"Do you enjoy that eye Petrelli?" Gabriel suddenly got serious. Apparently Peter didn't have it under control. "You know I've been meaning to ask you something?" He came close to Peter's face. Pretty laugh out loud funny close. "You got a thing for my girl?" Peter looked dumb founded.

"Answer the question Peter." Elle hid her laugh at Peter's comeuppance. "Have you ever kissed me?" Peter grimaced feeling a little pull on his neck.

"Once." Big pull crushing his throat. Elle just watched a bit amused as Gabriel squeezed his hand in the air.

"Elle?" He questioned. "When did this happen?" He seemed a bit sad and disillusioned.

"Let's see maybe a couple years ago or a year or more ago. It was a little after I met you. He used me to escape." She shrugged leaning over to him. "He was my first kiss." She whispered. Peter knew he'd be dead soon enough. If only he hadn't gotten Gabriel drunk. If only his plan hadn't backfired on him.

"Was I better than him?" He asked with puppy dog eyes. Peter looked at the couple. Damn Gabriel was staring into Elle's big blues hard.

"No contest." She wiped her hair in the air. "Plus you gave me a more important first." She grinned seductively kissing him passionately on his lips. Gabriel kissed back as Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Get a room!" A bar fly shouted. Gabriel broke from the kiss.

"Hey! We have a room!" He fished the key to their suite form his pocket.

"I'm guessing we shouldn't wait up." Luke called as Gabriel Gray dragged his woman from the bar.

"You'd assume correctly." Elle called just as the doors closed.

Gabriel quickly pulled her to the side lifting her in the air and whirling her with ease. She giggled like a pretty school girl. She was so happy to be in Vegas. She had had a great dinner, seen a great show, and was about to spend the remainder of the evening with her boyfriend.

"Okay," Elle stated keeping herself steady balancing on Gabriel's shoulder when he put her back on the ground. "As much as the spinning was fun I don't think my stomach can take it."

"Oh my pregnant Elle. I don't want to make your tummy sicky." He sounded like a four year old. He grabbed her in a hug. "I miss my mommy. Both my mommies." Elle patted his back.

"Well I'll take care of you." Elle told him. "Can't replace either of your mothers, but I can be a good girlfriend." He broke from her looking into her eyes. For a moment Elle though he wasn't drunk. Just a moment. His knees fell to the ground. She went to lift him up, but he stopped. Her.

"No I meant to do this." He looked up at the woman. "Elle Bishop, you're the only girl in the world that gives me butterflies and all kinds of weird feelings that make me scared and sick all at once." Elle just smiled stupidly. "I don't want you to be a good girlfriend anymore. I want you to be my good wonderful successful sexy wife."

"Gabriel," She asked stepping back. "Are you asking me what I think you are asking me?"

"Yeah, maybe." He got to his feet. "Will you marry me? Like right now?" Elle's only response was jump on him and squeal.


	37. Waking Up In Vegas

**Author's Note:** Glad how much you guys loved last chapter. It was good to get some comic relief after all the drama.

Hope you enjoy the aftermath.

CHAPTER 37: Waking Up In Vegas

Gabriel felt his head pound before his eyes opened up. He groaned fluttering his eyes back closed. The bright lights curled under his eyelids and smashed into his brain. He tightened his eyes closer shut. Something moved beside him. Elle gave a soft sigh. He raised his eyes just a bit to see her content face mushing close to his chest. His bare chest.

What had happened last night? Why was he barely wearing any clothes? Why was Elle wearing barely any clothes? He peered back up seeing that the lights above them weren't on, yet bright blinding lights seeped in. He groaned again seeing that the source was the sunlight coming from behind the drawn blinds.

"Elle," He groaned squeezing her shoulder lightly. "Why are these lights so bright?" The woman curled a little smile before opening her big eyes peering up at the man.

"Sorry," She whispered softly. She leaned up to hold his face as she kissed him. "You feeling okay?"

"No," He groaned pushing his palm to his head. "What happened last night?"

"What do you remember?" She sighed pressing her chest to his chest. She crawled on top of him reminding her of the time they had been in Stephen Cauldfield's house.

"Poker." He said wrinkling his face. A soft throb curled his head at his own voice. "And tequila." He groaned pressing his head to the pillow. "Oh I got drunk." He realized. He closed his eyes. "I have a hangover." He didn't like this feeling one bit. How many drinks had he had anyway? "Wait," He paused. "You said sorry." She tried to look innocent biting her lip. "For what?"

"Taking advantage." She lifted her right hand to his face. A flash of silver curled across her right ring finger. He eyed her ring as it catch the light. His head throbbed. As his thumb touched his own ring.

"Did we get hitched last night?" He groaned. "Please tell me we didn't get married."He looked at the ceiling, his eyes half open.

"What's the big deal?" Elle asked rolling off him. If he was going to throw a fit she was not going to be in the line of fire. "Not like you dressed up in an Elvis suit." He looked down at her. "Swear you didn't. It was a sweet little ceremony. I'd show you the marriage certificate, but you'd rip it up."

"We need to get this annulled." Gabriel stated as he felt something shock his thigh. He turned to the woman who pouted angrily.

"Are you serious?" She crawled from out of the bed picking up the dark gray t-shirt Gabriel had been wearing last night. "You don't want to be married to me?" Gabriel sat up in bed as she threw his pants at him.

"It's not that I don't want to be with you Elle." He stated sitting to the edge of the bed as he put on his pants. "It's just complicated."

"Well enlighten me." She folded her arms looking at him stubbornly. "Our lives are complicated. I thought our relationship was the only thing I actually understood. Tell me why on Earth you would not want to marry me."

"Because!" He shouted causing a crack in the dark end table down its side. She stared at his face as it seemed frustrated. "Marriages end Elle. All it takes is some paperwork. All it takes is time apart. Putting to people together legally like that ruins them. Divorces are number one in this country. I just don't want to lose you." He stood up grabbing her shoulders. "I don't want us to end." She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Gabriel," She whispered softly. "You naïve idiot." She started slapping his cheek playfully. "We love each other. We're too crazy to get anyone else. Hell if I somehow up and leave you you'll murder the human race. We're too screwed up for any other person of the opposite sex. We were basically made for each other." She put his hand to her chest. "Crazy father," She put his hand back to his chest. "Crazy mother." He smiled lightly touching her cheek.

"I guess you got what you wanted Mrs. Gray." He grabbed her face kissing her lightly. She smiled looking up at him as he held her chin.

"I like the sound of that." She breathed. He took her hand smiling gently at her. Even though he was still a little peeved about not actually being sober for his own wedding. He quickly found a shirt from the drawers. Elle found herself a black tight fitting shirt.

"I need to go yell at Peter." Gabriel stated.

"I actually yelled at him a lot last night." Elle told her husband. She looked down at her ring recalling she had a husband. An actual husband.

Gabriel soon patted his pants' pockets. No money. He could have sworn he had money in his pockets last night. Then again he had been not married last night.

"You wouldn't happen to know what happened to all my money last night?" He asked Elle tugging on a plaid button down shirt.

"I wasn't with you all last night. Most, but not all." Elle peered at the door. "Petrelli is to blame for all this."

"Want to help me kill him?" He wondered feeling his hang over get better. Claire's healing ability may have just decided to kick in.

"I'll bury the body." Elle offered up. He smiled evilly at her as he grabbed her hand to go across the hall to Peter, Luke, and Daphne's room.

Elle knocked loudly on the door knowing the knock would hurt Peter, though Gabriel winced just a bit at the noise. She merely mouthed sorry to him. A soft thud was heard inside followed by a bit of cursing. Elle hid her smile as Peter opened the door wearing an old worn white undershirt and plaid pajama shorts.

"What happened to my money?" Gabriel asked pushing Peter's shoulder.

"Hey not so loud." Peter whispered rubbing his head.

"Peter, we're not yelling. We can if you won't corroborate with us." Elle told the dark haired man. He winced attempting to shut the door. Gabriel used his power to keep it open as he and Elle pushed themselves into the room.

The room had beer bottles all over the coffee table. A blanket laid across the couch. On the counter was a dark coffee pot half way full. Coffee filters were scattered about as well.

"Again Peter. Where is my money?" He held out his hand as if Peter had stolen it from him.

"Don't be a baby." Peter groaned collapsing on the couch. "Remember what you told me?"

"I was drunk last night Peter. I didn't even know I got married." He explained leaning against the counter as Elle admired her ring. Just a plain silver band, but it symbolized so much more.

"Married eh?" Peter said with a devilious smile.

"Why do you sound Canadian?" Gabriel asked almost ready to kill this man. He knew somehow Peter Petrelli was behind his drunken rampage.

"It's the funniest thing," Luke stated coming out of his and Peter's room. He was wearing a Green Day shirt and jean shorts. He was the only one in the room who looked like he was ready to take on the day. "When Peter gets drunk he starts talking with a Canadian accent for absolutely no reason."

"I can't believe the youngest boy in the bunch actually knows how to handle his alcohol." The young blonde laughed loudly allowing the two men to wince. Gabriel rolled his eyes turning his attention back to Peter as Luke went for the coffee.

"What did I tell you last night?" Gabriel wondered.

"Well first you told me we had to gamble cause we were in Vegas and every time I said maybe you should stop you choked me. You're an angry drunk whenever Elle isn't around."Peter laughed to himself. "Luke they got married last night." Luke peered over at the couple grinning.

"Really?" Luke was grinning as well. It didn't take Gabriel long to figure it out giving the boys evil looks. "Spare me your dirty looks, don't blame me. You're the one who started drinking so much." All Gabriel could do was push him lightly.

"That's what you get for waking up in Vegas." Peter laughed giving himself a headache. Elle just smiled lightly.

"Is Daphne up?" She wondered looking at the room behind her.

"She had a few drinks last night." Luke explained. "Then she got talking with Claude for a while." She lifted her head to the bedroom. "Go wake her up we were going to go to breakfast anyway." Elle smiled going toward the room. Once she was gone Gabriel was alone with the two men. "You mad Gabe?"

"I'm broke and married. Do I look okay?" Gabriel asked with a stern tone. Peter winced again.

"Not our fault you're such a bad gambler." Peter explained chuckling. Gabriel just shook his head. "It was my fault so I'll pay you back somehow."

That's all Gabriel needed. Money for his wife and child. He still couldn't believe he was a husband now. Somehow it felt good to be a real family.


	38. The Beginning Of A Long Evening

**Author's Note:** Short little chapter, but sweet. We had a small time skip in this chapter. Just months. Nothing major major. Sorry about the whole deal with the last chapter. Anyway enjoy this chapter. Beginning of . . .well . . .see chapter title.

CHAPTER 38: The Beginning of A Long Evening

Peter took a forkful of onions in his mouth that had spilled from his fajita. Gabriel was relaxing sitting back in his chair with nothing on his plate. Not that he didn't enjoy Lulu's fajitas. It was just that he had dinner soon. Marc on the other hand was eating them like they would turn his insides gold.

The boy was all of sixteen with a browned skin and an eager look in his eye. The boy had been captured by the paired partners. Gabriel and Peter had been partners for a good seven months with the occasional assist from Luke, who had decided to take time off with Elle in order to better pay attention to his school work. Currently he was debating between a psych degree and a business degree.

Marc was a young boy with incredible strength who had run away from home. Flint and Tracy had been on his trail in Manhattan when Peter and Gabriel had rescued him from a deadly fate. Marc gulped the can of coke as Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him. The can disappeared as the boy crushed it between his hand.

"This is freakin' sweet." Marc hummed in a Spanish accent. "Seriously I can't believe my mom bought the whole volunteer thing." The boy glanced around the room looking at a dark skinned boy with large hair standing on line with a girl around his age. "Who are they?" He asked clearly pointing to the two preteens.

"Don't point." Gabriel told the boy flicking his hand so the boy's pointed in another direction. Peter smiled chugging his coke. He swallowed before speaking.

"Micah Saunders and Molly Walker." He explained moving his chin toward the two. "Molly's a tracker, not one a team and Micah's on Rebel." Peter ran his hand over his chin smearing the oil of the fajita over his skin. Marc peered at the two who were speaking to Lulu, today wearing a black and red blouse that was a bit low cut.

"And the cute chica behind the counter?" Marc asked moving his chin as his pointer. Gabriel nodded in approval peering at the young woman.

"Lulu, our one and only chef at the Company." Peter Petrelli stated beginning to lick his fingers of oil and fajita goodness.

"You might have to stay with her." Gabriel went on to say watching as Lulu gave Molly a small special made fajita. She put the special ones on red plates. "She's been complaining about living alone to Elle." He mused with a quick witted smile.

His wife had been complaining about the complainants of Lulu French to him nearly every nice in the past two months she had been complaining about her living situation. Mainly because she was the only one without a roommate. Despite her yearns to get Molly Walker in her home. She adored the little girl, but Angela had "plans" for her. Angela had plans for everyone.

"So does this Lulu have a guy?" Marc asked with a wicked grin. Gabriel and Peter exchanged looks before giving quiet laughs. Nobody had come into the Company and hit on Lulu. Most tried it with Elle. That was until she looked like an overinflated balloon.

"Actually I have a date with her tonight." Peter explained swallowing down some food. Marc looked wide eyed at the guy as if he were about to punch him.

"Dude, sorry I-" He began.

"No problem. First date. It was sort of a spear of the moment thing. My mom forced me into speed dating and Lulu happened to be there." He rolled his eyes knowing his mother had this whole relationship planned out already. He was just willing to go along with the ride. Besides he liked Lulu.

"So any reason I can't stay with either of you?" Marc asked picking the fajita up and scooping it into his mouth.

"Well my house is pretty full as it is." Peter explained grabbing one of the napkins Gabriel had gotten. "And Gabriel has a wife who is about to pop." Marc looked over at the man who was glancing at the clock.

"You got to be somewhere?" Marc asked swallowing his food down.

"Dinner. Elle will be pissed if I miss out on her." He remarked getting up from his chair. "Have fun." He stated giving a mock salute. He was out the door in less than a minute.

"He is whipped." Marc whispered with a soft laugh. Peter joined in with him.

"Believe it or not, they both are." Peter already knew how much they both relied on each other.

--

Gabriel already knew things were bad when he saw the lights dim. He wasn't even in the apartment and already things looked bad. He quickly pulled out his keys. He twisted them in the door letting himself into the dark apartment. He heard a yelp come from the couch.

Elle sat on a couch in a dark blue baby doll dress. One over her hands was under the bulge that protruded around her small frame. The baby had grown to full size in her body. Her face winced in complete and utter pain. Just a bit red. Sparks curdled around her knuckles. Gabriel went to his knees beside her pressing his hand to the hand that rested on her rounded stomach.

"Elle," He whispered kissing her hot forehead. Sparks fluttered out of her mouth as she cried softly. "It's okay. I got your overnight back by the door." He motioned toward wheelie back by the front door. A bright pink one. "I can call Peter-" He fumbled for his phone only to get sparked.

"In. The Car." Her face became serious for a moment before erupting in pain.

"Okay," He said softly taking her hand. "Off the couch." He helped her up slowly as she cried out in pain. She wanted this child out of her and she knew the kid probably wanted out too.

"Company." She said in an exhausted breath. Gabriel nodded holding her back and leading her to the door before grabbing the bag.

"Only place that can handle you." He held in a laugh knowing that Elle's pain was only the beginning of this long evening.


	39. Birth

**Author's Note:** Short chapter again. I know. Those that follow will be nothing short of epic. I think there might be five chapters left to this story, which I can hardly believe.

To answer's el85's question Elle had basically just gone into labor when Gabriel walked in. She didn't really ahve any time to pick up the phone.

Anyway enjoy this short blurb.

CHAPTER 39: Birth

The lights dimmed. Marc glanced up as he wandered the hallways of the cell blocks. A little buzz coursed the air. He looked around remembering how Peter had gotten a call to report to his mother's office. Marc had already met Angela Petrelli, the ominous head of the Company. She was a bit overbearing. That's why he had followed Peter. Angela Petrelli interested him way too much. Though now he was lost in the halls after making a wrong turn down the hall.

Suddenly five dark haired doctors rushed out of a cell. Marc was hit into a wall as the five doctors ran pass him shouting about something. Marc cussed under his breath. His arm ached. He wished he had invincibility like Gabriel. Flint's fire didn't hurt him and neither did Tracy's ice. With that ability plus his strength he'd be unstoppable.

"Oh shoot." A woman's voice said. Marc looked up from his position on the ground. Manic doctors sure could do a number on a person. Lulu, the chef, was looking at her cell phone with annoyance in her eyes. "Poor Elle." She glanced back up at the flickering lights smiling to herself a bit.

"Hey, uh, Lulu! Right?" Marc asked standing up while cradling his arm. Her eyes flickered at the boy. "You guys forget to pay the electric bill or something?" Lulu kept her sweet little smile.

"I wish that was the problem." She stated watching as another group of multiples fluttered by. One actually stopped. Marc saw the frantic expression on the Asian doctor's face.

"Where's Peter?" He asked looking into the woman's eyes.

"He said something about a situation cause he had to cancel on our plans. Elle's in labor right?" She got a look of excitement in her eyes. Marc could almost tell that she was looking forward to Gabriel's wife delivering her baby.

"Yeah," Dr. Cho pointed up at the ceiling. The lights had gone dim for longer than usual. They quickly fluttered back on. "The Haitian is tied up with the Speed Demons in Haiti. Family issues. Peter's supposed to be in with-"

"Keep Elle occupied Zeke." Peter stated running toward the pair. Two flashlights fumbled in his grasp. He looked at Marc then Lulu. "Sorry again."

"You kidding? This is way better than any date. No offense Peter." Peter looked as if he took none. The lights dimmed longer than allowing the four to look up. "Go Peter. She's probably in pain." Peter nodded turning his body and running down the hall.

"So does this happen all the time?" Marc asked pretty confused about what was going on.

"Only when Elle's pissed." Dr. Cho and Lulu said just as the Company became dark for good.

--

A burst of screams erupted from the mock hospital room. Peter took a step back before entering the room. A flash of blue electric skeletons burned crawling out of the room. Peter's eyes widened as he flashed his light on. Elle cried out as he stepped forward.

"You're almost there Elle." He heard Gabriel say. "Dr. Cho said you were fully dilated."

"I don't care, Gabriel!" She said in an exhausted loud breath. "Just get it out of me!"

Peter came in shiny a light on the couple. He had already helped a woman give birth before. Once during college his roommate's sister had been stuck with them in a ski lodge. He and about four EMTs had helped the woman. Now he was the only professional in the room. Gabriel's eyes fluttered to him as he sat trying to coach Elle into pushing. Peter shone his flashlight toward Elle.

"When did she start?" Peter asked as Elle started huffing. He tossed Gabriel a flashlight. He caught it quite gracefully.

"Three hours. She was barely in labor when I got home." Gabriel stated as he looked at the woman.

"Push Elle." Peter instructed her. Gabriel carefully held Elle's hand as she let out a push. Electricity pushed with her. Peter quickly reached for Gabriel's other hand just as the electric hit him. Peter leaned his head back causing everyone in the room to shout.

When the pain passed Peter shifted back to check to see how the birth was going. He could see the kid's head. He knew only one more push and the baby would be out. The flashlight gleamed on Elle's face.

"You get that light out of my face Peter Petrelli!" She shouted at him. "Can you get the kid out?"

"One more push I swear." Peter told her knowing that people were in labor longer then what she had been going through. She tilted her head back sobbing softly.

"Just once more, Elle." Gabriel gripped her hand. "Let it all out into me, baby." He whispered softly and almost evilly.

Elle nodded. One more and the pain would be gone. One more and she'd have her baby. The one she had been waiting nine months for. She tilted her head back pushing with all her might. Electricity flowed out of her body and into Gabriel's. She felt the child press from her body. Her body became hot and red from the painful push. She hoped that was it. God she hoped she had done it right.

The cries of a small baby echoed in the small room where Elle laid. She huffed out a sigh of relief. The cries seemed healthy and strong. Gabriel loosened his grip as Peter lifted the child up. Fleshy and full of blood, but still somehow beautiful. The child's face scrunched opening its mouth.

"It's a boy." Peter stated with a smile. Gabriel and Elle both had the same reaction. A smile for their baby boy.


	40. Namesake

**Author's Note:** Glad she finally had the baby. Borthing scenes are no fun to write. Anyway this chapter we will find out a bit more about little baby Gray and see how some of the others react to the child.

After this chapter I'm diving right into the final arc. What do you think will happen? Will Gabriel and Elle live happily ever after? Will Angela Petrelli reveal her plans for the Grays? Will all of your favorites survive to see the sequel? Will Peter and Lulu ever go one a date?

Only time and the next four chapters will tell.

CHAPTER 40: Namesake

Elle understood a lot more now that she could see the child's face. She held her newborn son proudly in her arms swaddled in the gray blue blanket Peter had dug up in the closest. Dr. Cho had assisted Peter cleaning up the small child that weighed seven pounds and eight ounces. Dr. Cho had mused he looked like a healthy little boy.

When Elle finally got to see his face minus the gunk and goo she saw him as a mirror to his parents. Gabriel's facial shape, her light blonde hair that almost made him look bald, Gabriel's thick furry eyebrows scrunched together as the child puckered up his lips, and as the child opened his eyes for the first time she witness his eyes. The same shape as her eyes, but the same color as Gabriel's.

Peter had graciously handed the boy over to Elle after all the checking and probing to the baby had been done. She remembered when she felt the weight of the child in her arms. Strangely light yet heavy at the same time. The little boy had looked about confused, yet almost relaxed. Elle had smiled at the boy lost for words. He opened his eyes again to stare into his mother's face. Elle could have sworn he had been studying her before his hands moved, squeezing around Elle Gray's finger.

"He's not real is he?" She wandered aloud looking at the tiny baby who cooed to himself. Her eyes flickered at Gabriel. He too was mesmerized by his son. "I'm going to wake up in a holding cell soon and he's not going to exist." She ran her thumb across the baby's forehead. "Our baby."

"We made him." Gabriel mused looking at the child. "He's real. He's ours."

"Ours." Elle spoke in a soft hushed whisper. The boy's eyes fluttered to a close as he sighed softly. Elle felt her heart flutter and she wondered if this feeling would ever go away. She hoped it didn't. "Gabriel," She called moving her arms where he baby rested. "Hold him?" He stared at Elle as if she were crazy. "Hold your son?" His son. Yes this tiny little being was his. His and Elle's.

He slowly reached out his hands as Elle told him to be careful with his head. Gabriel complied taking the little child from his mother carefully. A small squeak was let out when the little guy changed hands, but as soon as he felt his father's warmth he became calm once more.

"He's so small." Gabriel sated cradling the child. He too studied the child's face. "He looks like us both." Elle slowly nodded agreeing. She watched Gabriel's face become calm. She had never seen him calm in her life like he was now. Like he had everything he ever needed in the whole universe right in this room.

"Does this count as a first date?" She heard a loud whisper from beyond the door outside. Lulu's voice was not hard to hide. Elle could see the shadows in front of the door and she recalled Peter going out to spread the word that the Grays had a new son. "If it does this is the best first date I ever had."

"Shh, Lu , there's a baby in there." Peter's loud whispered caused the small child to shift in Gabriel's arms. He let out a couple quick squeaks before the door opened softly.

Peter had somehow managed to find an old set of scrubs. He was decked out in a light blue. Lulu smiled walking in with her same clothes Gabriel had seen before, though a bigger then average smile on her face. She let a quiet awe upon seeing Gabriel Gray with the child.

"I called first dibs." Lulu instructed letting her heels click as she came over to Gabriel. The baby squirmed in his father's arms and began to cry softly at first then louder. Elle instructed Gabriel to give her the child as Lulu looked on waiting patiently for her turn. She wasn't giving up.

Elle soothed the child cradling him and whispering calm words to him. Minutes after the pair came in the child was slowly on his way to relaxing. He grabbed Elle's thumb and slowly put it in his mouth. Elle laughed lightly at his actions causing the child to pull his lips into a smile.

"He's adorable." Lulu cooed as Gabriel rolled his eyes. Peter laughed briefly as the little baby cooed trying to copy the laugh he heard from his mother and the man who delivered him. "May I?" Lulu held out her arms for the boy.

Elle hesitated before giving Lulu the baby. The boy looked to his mother as if for reassurance. Elle knew he would be smart when she nodded her head and he agreed to the terms of the exchange. Lulu's hands were warm and comforting so the small boy immediately was comfortable with her.

"So tiny." She cooed laughing lightly. The baby looked at Lulu with content as he relaxed softly. "If you ever need anyone to babysit him I'm your girl." She told the parents. Gabriel folded his arms nodding reluctantly.

"Where's my nephew?" Luke said stepping slowly into the brightly lit room. Gabriel sighed hitting his forehead as the room started getting crowded.

"Did you tell the entire Company Petrelli?" Gabriel asked in a whispered huff. Luke smiled as he came beside Lulu.

"Oh he looks like you Gabe." Luke told his brother.

"Only the people who care about you guys." Peter explained as Lulu cradled the child. Luke glanced at Elle for permission to hold his nephew. Elle glanced at Gabriel who seemed a bit peeved he could actually admire his son.

"Come on Gabriel," She tried to convince him. "He's ours. Let your brother hold him."

"He's too small." Gabriel told the boy. "Maybe in a couple months or years you can." Luke just shook his head with a laugh. The child glanced over at his uncle.

"Hey kid you can call me Uncle Luke." Lulu glanced at Elle as Luke spoke.

"You be careful with him Luke." Elle warned. "Do I have to tell you what will happen to you if he gets hurt?"

"I'll be so dead I won't even know it." Luke said carefully taking the child from Lulu. He cried softly at the switch of hands again. Gabriel understood why. Too many damn people wanted a look at him. He didn't stop crying in Luke's grasp. Maybe he even cried louder.

"Look at that." Gabriel stated. "He's not too fond of you."

"Well I love him." Luke dipped his nose down to touch the small child's nose. The baby softly let the crying face. He reached up grabbing his uncle's nose. Luke simply smile.

"Okay, that's enough doting for one day." Peter instructed Lulu and Luke. Both seemed upset as Peter took the child from Luke's arms and transferring him to Elle. "We'll be out of your hair." Lulu was more disappointed than anyone.

"Remember I'm available for your baby sitting needs." She called before Peter led her and Luke from the room and the couple.

"Thought they'd never leave." Gabriel stated sitting beside Elle in the cot. Elle smiled cooing to her child.

"Well they love him as much as we do." She stated. "And who can blame them he's the frickin cutest." The bay smiled as if understanding what she said.

"So how are we going to raise him in all this craziness?" Gabriel wondered aloud as the child's eyes fluttered closed again. He yawned softly and Gabriel found himself calling the child adorable in his mind.

"With love." She whispered softly wrapping the blanket against the boy softly. "He already has so many people who love him. I'm sure it's not impossible." She looked up at her husband smiling. "He can't turn out worse than us."

"Let's hope not." Gabriel said leaning down to kiss his wife and mother of his child. "We already know how not to raise a kid." Elle nodded.

"Tell him he's special the way he is." Elle cooed looking at her sleeping boy.

"That he can do and be what he wants to." Gabriel explained smiling at his son. It was hard to imagine a little over a year ago he had been out killing and now he was a husband and father to two of the most important people in his life.

"Where's the child?" The smile in Angela Petrelli's voice startled the couple, but they were glad the baby slept.

The older woman came in wearing a dark black vest and white shirt underneath. Her black slackers were folded at the bottom. Noah Bennet came in beside her with a little smile on.

"I thought you had the delivery covered." Gabriel almost said rudely to his boss.

"Last minute change of plans." Angela stated wiping the air with her hand. "The Haitian had other matters to attend to." Her heels clicked against the tile as she approached Mrs. Gray. "Let me see him."

Both Angela and Noah peered at the small baby. They saw the likeness of his parents in his sleeping face. Noah smiled gently looking to Elle with pride as if he were a father looking at his grandchild.

"What' his name?" Angela asked smiling at the baby as well. Elle looked up into both the people's eyes. The name immediately came to her.

"Noah." She stated with complete sureness. Gabriel raised his eyebrows as Angela looked on confused. Noah Bennet was a bit taken aback by his namesake. "You helped bring us together." She started to explain. "Little Noah wouldn't be here if you hadn't brought us together. No matter how crazy it was. Besides you've been here like a father to me." Elle seriously tried her hardest to make the name sound good to Gabriel. Noah Bennet had in fact done all those things, but on the other hand he had also killed Gabriel. That was behind them now. Noah was going to be there for their child as a surrogate grandfather.

"I'm honored Elle." Noah Bennet stated looking from Elle to the child. "I'll be there for you guys." Elle smiled before looking at Gabriel who looked on like he was going to kill Elle once the two left.

"Since you two have started yourself a family I'd like to give you something to get your little family going." Elle watched Angela Petrelli hand Gabriel a check. He changed his expression looking at the amount.

"We can't accept this Angela." He showed the amount to Elle who looked shocked by the value.

"You can and you will." She stated looking at the boy again. "I want you to take care of him in the best way possible. By yourself a house in a safe neighborhood, give him a good education, and make sure he's happy." Noah nodded agreeing with his boss. "Take care." With that the two left.

Elle and Gabriel just sat there for a moment staring at the tried to process what to do with it. They could afford a house with this. A very nice large house in the suburbs with a picket fence and maybe a dog. They could afford to have their son go to any school he wanted and keep him happy for half of his life with this amount of money.

"I thought maybe we should have discussed the name." Gabriel finally said slowly. Elle looked up at her husband shrugging.

"It came out." She whispered softly looking down at her son. "Besides could you think of a better name?"

"I wanted to name him after your father." Gabriel said with a ting of guilt in his voice. Elle sighed knowing his reason behind it.

"It would only bring back bad memories." She didn't want to look at her son and think of her father missing the top of his head. "Besides I like the name Noah. It's nice and he looks like a Noah." Gabriel glanced at the boy repeating the name over and over in his head.

Noah. Noah . Noah. Noah Gray. Noah Robert Gray. It was growing on him.

"Can I?" Gabriel asked Elle wanting to hold his sleeping son. Elle handed her son to his father.

Gabriel held his smile child imagining him growing up. Growing older. He imagined all the things he could say to him to keep him happy and healthy. Telling him he was special just the way he was. With powers or without. He imagined loving him and tossing him in the air as the boy squealed.

"I love you just the way you are Noah." He told the sleeping boy who opened his mouth a bit. Gabriel leaned down to kiss the child on the forehead. Elle smiled at her boys as Gabriel looked into her eyes. "So what is the next one going to be called?" He smiled with a laugh in his tone.

"Ha ha very funny." Elle stated watching as her love cradled the child. "But I think one is enough for us both." Gabriel knew that Noah was going to grow up happy with two loving parents and a slew of others who already adored him. He would make sure of that.


	41. Watch It Burn

CHAPTER 41: Watch It Burn

Elle watched the child move slowly in the crib. Noah Gray was a smart six month old. Smarter than most. Elle was well aware of how unique Noah was. The child latched onto the blanket in the crib cooing gently to himself in order to rest from the long day of activities.

His mother had merely taken him to the grocery store and already he was ready for a nap. Elle smiled at her son touching his soft head. She turned to look around the living room where she had rolled Noah's crib. She enjoyed the crib on wheels Noah Bennet had graciously bought them. Noah adored peering at television as Elle did the laundry or any other household chore. Sometimes she'd allow the boy to sit in her lap and play with his small stuffed cow Lulu had given him.

The first months with Noah had been a chore. An unlawful chore which sometimes caused Elle to question her motherly duties. It had passed. The long nights had become dull and faded as Noah became more calm. She hadn't reclaimed her job yet. Luke and Peter had become partners somehow. Gabriel had become an official trainer at the Company coaching people with abilities while being a father, husband, and owner of a watch repair shop.

Gabriel was an excellent father. He enjoyed playing and taking care of his son. Even as he cried Gabriel stayed up with him risking his sanity. As he once explained to her he had lost his sanity long ago. Elle looked at the decorations piled beside the television. Christmas had come and gone almost a whole month ago. Her husband had been too overwhelmed to get them back in storage.

Elle and Gabriel had only recently put a down payment on a house with Angela Petrelli's money. They were still waiting for it to go through though Gabriel was confident it would. Elle smiled remembering Noah's first Christmas.

Luke, Peter, and Lulu had been the first to show up. She remembered Noah squealing at Lulu, his babysitter. Lulu adored the little boy to no end often playing games and tickling him. She and Peter had been going out for some time. Things were going well with them though Elle noticed Peter's lack of commitment. She had even taken him aside asking him what his deal was. Poor boy had been unlucky in love too much. He didn't want his heart broken or Lulu hurt in any way.

Luke had brought a baked ziti he had made with Lulu's help. She had started training agents as well, but in the art of cooking. Luke was actually an awesome cook. He had been thinking and rethinking his career goals. Next to show after a game of charades had been Daphne, Alex, and Claude. They hadn't stayed for long, but took part in selling some food and giving presents.

Bennet and even Angela had made an appearance. Noah Bennet had turned out to be an important figure in the boy's life as promised taking him to the doctors and any other place Elle couldn't. Once she had had the flu for a week. Bennet had taken care of her then as well as her child.

Christmas had been a wonderful time and Noah had gotten so many gifts. Bibs, sippy cups, toys, games, blocks, stuffed animals, and clothes. Elle picked up a tiny plaid t-shirt from the pile of clean laundry. She put it to her face before looking toward the crib where her son slept.

It hit her like this sometimes. She was a mother. She was the mother of a beautiful six-month old boy. A soft knock came at the door of the apartment. Elle quickly looked toward the door then at her son who gave a soft little sigh. She placed he shirt down on the coffee table before going to the door. She peered through the peep hole seeing Noah Bennet through the glass. She quickly unlocked it swallowing slowly.

"Bennet," She said in a quiet tone as he tilted his head forward. "I just put Noah down for a nap."

"Okay," He said softly making sure his voice wouldn't wake the boy. "I can take him in the carriage. I've driven with him before." Elle bit her lip.

"Are you sure he has to go?" She wondered trying to change his opinion.

"Elle we discussed this." Noah Bennet stated softly. "Ms. Petrelli needs Noah to be observed overnight." Elle nodded slowly remembering how Angela liked to watch her subjects. But Noah was hers.

"I know and I discussed this with Gabriel." She told him. "I'd like to stay overnight if that is possible." Bennet understood the love Elle had for her child.

"Okay. I'm sure we can set something up."He sounded confident in that which made Elle sigh in relief. She glanced around the room seeing Noah's diaper bag next to the couch. It cowboys decorated over it. She quickly grabbed the bag slinging it over her shoulder. Her eyes set on Bennet before the door swung open.

"They're coming!" Peter shouted rushing over in between the two. Elle's eyes widened watching the door for movement. Noah quickly positioned himself away from the door to block Elle. Peter reached to grab the blonde's arm.

Suddenly something slashed across Peter Petrelli's face. He howled out in a long dangerous cry. The baby began to cry causing Elle to turn her attention to the cradle. She started to run toward it, but felt something smash into her face.

"Don't want to ruin the plans Elle." She heard Rachel, the teleporter's voice. As she hit the ground. Her son wailed on and she saw him thrashing in his crib. Peter held his face looking at the blood in his hands then up at Ando with a sword unsheathed.

"Hello Daddy." Claire's voice recalled to her father. Someone else stood beside her, a petite blonde teenage girl. "Miss me."

"Claire, what are you doing?" He wondered aloud looking at the dark haired girl.

"Stopping horror." She held her gun up. "Move aside and let me end this." Elle cried up shooting a beam of electric at the girl. Claire's body fried a bit, but she remained standing. "That all you got . . .Gray?"

"You son of a bitch!" She screamed feeling the electric rise in her.

"Claire what is this?" Peter choked stumbling to his feet. Blood dripped from her hands and face.

"The end of days Uncle Petey." She said tilting her head and raising her gun. "For us all." She went to fire. Peter grabbed Bennet and Elle watched as the two teleported away.

The young woman stood up racing to the cradle. She felt something hit her and watched as the scenery changed.

Claire smiled knowing all the opponents disappeared. The only sound was the baby screaming as if in pain. As if it were being beaten. Claire moved forward toward the cradle missing just one of her teleporters. Rachel tended to Ando as his eyes watched Claire. She looked into the crib where the being cried out for someone to save him.

A single shot was fired.

--

Peter cussed withering in pain as the scar formed across his face. A new fresh slash wound. Noah Bennet looked around the dark alley as Peter raced into traffic. A loud horn wailed and some shouting. Peter stared up at the apartment building glancing back at Bennet.

"Go to my mother!" Peter called racing across the street. Some noticed the scar forming across his face. Most didn't care. He took the steps two at a time.

God he hoped somehow everything was okay. Hot tears ran down his cheeks and he already knew. He knew something bad had happened. He knew he could have stopped it. The door to the Gray's apartment wasn't closed. Wide open.

Peter stopped at the doorway. He dripped blood on the carpet. He saw the mother of the small child cradling him in her arms. Tears followed uncontrollably from her full eyes. Her arms were full of the infant's body and blood. Her eyes never left his form. She sobbed uncontrollably looking at the dead child.

Peter stepped in slowly. Elle didn't move. She buried her head into the child's body. Her cries were curdled through the air. Sirens erupted down stairs and out the window. Peter wanted to comfort her. There was no comfort though. Nothing. What could he say? He soon her heard her voice crack slowly.

"Noah." She whispered. "Oh Noah, Noah, Noah. My baby." Tears dripped across his tiny bloody forehead. She squeezed him softly. "My baby. My boy. My Noah." Peter slowly moved to Elle sitting an arm's length from her.

"Elle." Peter let out. Elle started shaking uncontrollably burying her head further into the child's body. Her blonde hair feather out dripping across her baby. "I'm so sorry." He felt as if it were his fault. It was his fault.

Peter heard footsteps. The same sound as his. Frantic and hurried. Two at a time they took the stairs. Elle continued sobbing looking at the child. Her eyes now red from the pain and tears. Peter's eyes looked to the doorway when the footsteps halted.

"What happened?" Someone asked from the hall.

"The police are coming." Another said.

Gabriel Gray ignored them both. Peter heard thuds as he wondered what had happened to them. He could guess. Gabriel wore a dark gray sweater and dark pants. His expression was dumb found. His heart raced and stopped at imperfect times. He stepped into the room as Elle peered up. He paused seeing the boy in her arms. Seeing the blood.

"Gabriel," She cried to herself letting the tears soak her cheeks. "I couldn't . . .I'm . . .Gabriel." Her words became lost and jumbled around. Gabriel's eyes never left his child's body. The warm body of pure love and happiness had lost its light. "I tried to . . ." She sobbed again as Peter moved away from the couple to the couch. Tears poured down his face. He had no way to turn them off. Blood soaked with his tears.

"Elle," His voice was soft, solemn, and undying. He bent to his knees. He touched the boy's forehead. "Who?"

"Claire." She cussed softly. Peter watched the fire build up in her eyes. Electric swarmed her body. Blue fire erupted in her. "I can't let her be alive."

"No," He looked into Elle's eyes full of fury and emotion. Sylar emerged slowly, but surely as Elle's own killer emerged in her. "I suppose not."

"Gabriel," Peter called through a veil of tears. Elle looked up at Peter. "You can't just . . ."

"What Peter?" Elle slowly stood up with her dead baby. She placed him in his crib slowly kissing his forehead. Blood coated her lips. "Kill her? Kill everyone? Our baby is dead. My Noah. Our baby boy. My child. She took him for no reason. No reason. Who kills . . .a baby?! Who kills our baby?! Our Noah?! My Noah?!" Electric roared in her coating her body in blue lightning. Her eyes filled with electric fury glowing almost. They sparked.

"Gabriel, are you going to let Claire win?" Peter stood up watching Gabriel set himself up. "I know what she did was wrong, but to destroy everything? Everyone? Are you going to turn into someone as heartless as Claire?" Gabriel peered at Peter taking his wife's hand.

"I'm not Gabriel anymore." He told the man. Peter already knew that. He just hoped it wasn't true. "I'll never be Gabriel. Ever." He slowly leaned down kissed his wife's lips. He looked into the crib. His son's cold dead eyes now closed. He looked peaceful. He looked perfect, now an angel in heaven.

Sylar and the newly resurrected Cinder left the apartment hand and hand. Before they left Cinder turned to Peter saying something quietly.

"I want to watch the world burn." She mumbled taking her leave of her former home.

Peter knew this was bad. Claire had killed a baby. Sweet former cheerleader Claire had murdered Noah Gray. A child who could do nothing, but cry. Peter tried not to think about it. He had to do something. Anything. He remembered the ability he took from Jeanie. Teleportation much like the now deceased Hiro. He slowly closed his eyes as they filled with tears and hope for the future.


	42. Alternate

**Author's Note:** Okay so last chapter . . .not so happy. Pretty much one of the most heart breaking things I ever wrote. I can't believe I killed a baby. Well technically claire did it, but I wrote it.

There is a happy ending of sorts to this. Two more to go until the big conclusion. This chapter is a little less sad if that helps :)

CHAPTER 42: Alternate

Peter Petrelli felt his feet hit ground. The thud of his being leaned against the white plastered wall. He sniffed in slowly trying to get the image of the cold dead body out of his mind. A child that had exited the world too soon. He looked down at his black blood stained shirt grumbling to himself. Clothes were the least of his worries.

He felt something inside him urge him to take a look at his surroundings. When he had teleported all he wanted was the future. At least the world was in one piece. He looked at the familiar setting. The Company halls. The halls leading to the hospital wing and cell blocks. It didn't make him feel any better. He knew this was the future because of the aging of the paint on the walls and difference of the tiling. Once an off white now a light blue and white was under his feet.

As he looked down he shifted looking down the hall. Rooms lined each side as they had done in the past. As Peter thought they always would. He sighed to himself as his fingers traced the scar on his forehead. The scar ran from the right side of his forehead to the left side of his cheek. He looked down at his finger that had traced it. It was covered in fresh blood. His blood.

Suddenly Peter felt something round and cold on the back of his head. A warmth from the body behind him hit him hard. He had been surrounded by the dead and living dead for too long. Longer then he wished. Longer than he ever wanted.

"Don't move boy." The voice of an ambitious young woman hit him. He slowly raised his hands. "That's a good guy, now turn around so I can see that pretty little face of yours."

Peter complied. Whether this woman worked for the Company or not was beyond him, but he knew he didn't want to die. Not without saving Noah. He slowly found the gun to his head staring at a hazel eyed young woman. Her eyes became less harmful upon seeing his face.

Her blonde hair was pulled back in a high ponytail as her soft flesh became less rigid. She was covered in tattoos all over her body. Peter could barely make them out. Vines were around her neck and sleeves on her arms. On her chest she wore a dark cami and her legs were coated in denim shorts. She slowly lowered her gun before it disappeared crawling onto her skin as another tattoo.

"Peter?" She asked with a complete perplexed tone. She slowly studied his face and that was when Peter saw the tiny nose ring in his nostril.

"Do I know you?" He asked in a soft hush. A little barely noticeable smile formed on the young woman's lips.

"Apparently not yet." She stepped pass him not taking her eyes off him. "Let's go see what Ms. Petrelli has to say about this." Peter followed the woman down the hall, both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Do I at least get to know your name?" He wondered looking at the girl's back. Flames of green fire peeked from where her skin and the shirt met. Peter saw her shake her head.

It didn't take long at all for the two to get to Ms. Petrelli's office. His mother had seemed to upgrade yet again. The young woman left him at the door motioning him to go in. When he did she did not follow. The room was large with an even larger window. The smell of pine and lavender wafted the air. Peter found himself almost stuck in the past.

"I've been expecting you Peter." His mother stood in front of her desk. She was coated in more wrinkles than he could count, yet still looked like the strong woman he knew. "The past right? I've dreamt you come."

"Then you know why I am here, Ma." He said in an almost alluring tone. She gave a soft smile looking at a picture on her desk.

"Save the baby, save the world. I'm sure I can help you with that." She ran her finger over a face in the picture. "This isn't your future Peter." She looked up at her son. "But it could be."

"What do you mean?" He asked. His mother's dreams were never clear to him, but they were to her.

"The future from your timeline does not exist." She put the picture face down. "I can only imagine what Sylar and Elle did too it. Maybe they caused World War III to escape the pain of losing their only son." She looked out the large window where the day was just starting. A sun rise was forming.

"So where am I?" Peter wonder looking toward the rising sun.

"An alternate timeline. The closest thing to a good future for us." She peered at her son. "One that will help you save the child and the world."

"How do I do that?" How could he save Noah? How could he save a baby when Claire, his niece was after him? Could he kill Claire? Right now he was having thoughts on how to.

"You must obtain your original ability." Angela explained taking Peter aback. His empathic mimic power? The one his father had taken from him almost two years before? How could he get that back? "In order to do that you must see Noah Gray." Peter looked on at his mother as she began to search her desk. Hope filled in his eyes. Noah was alive. In this timeline he hadn't been killed by Claire. Maybe he was a little boy now. Or a preteen. Either way Peter would be happy to see the child he couldn't save.

"The Grays live at this address." His mother told him giving the house number and street. He recognized it as a neighborhood by where he and Nathan had grown up. "You'll know what to do." Before Peter could even move he looked up at his mother, her aging face full of hope and wisdom.

"Ma," He asked softly. "Why is Noah important? You knew he would be before he was born and Claire . . .she knew too." He tried not to think of her.

"Because," Angela Petrelli began. "He is going to do more than any of us ever could." With that Peter understood he needed to protect this boy at all costs.

--

Peter found himself on the last step leading to the Gray family home. He turned around seeing the quiet suburb. He smiled realizing Elle and Gabriel had somehow in this alternate world found a place for their weird family. A place in the world. He took two more steps to the door. White with a silver knocker. He looked down at the doorknob placing his hand on it.

As if I its own it turned allowing Peter to see the inner workings of the Gray home. Feet padded down the carpeted stairs that was close to the front door. A blur of purple passed by him in a soft squeal. The little girl spun around the toy infested living room which Peter could see. The girl was no older than five with messy dark brown hair. Her face was soft and calm like Elle's, but her eyes stared up at Peter with Gabriel's same knowing face.

"Peter, Mommy and I are playing Can't Catch Me!" The girl squeaked as she started for the light brown sofa. Hard harsh footsteps bounded down the steps.

" Just woke up Ginny." Elle Gray called balancing herself on the railing as her little girl tried to hide between the two sofa cushions. "I'm not in the mood to play. Now let me get your shoes on or I will zap your cute little butt." Peter stared at the woman who then turned. Whatever age Elle was she looked good. Some laugh lines were crusted onto her cheeks, but she couldn't look older than thirty.

"I don't like shoes." Ginny said with a pout as she uncovered herself from one of the sofa cushions.

"Tell her how good shoes are, Peter." Elle almost commanded the confused young man. He looked a bit baffled. Obviously Elle thought he was "her" timeline's Peter.

"They keep you protected from bugs and nails." Peter stated almost with confusion. Elle nodded as Ginny slowly sat herself on the couch. She had surrendered.

"Maybe I should keep you hear every morning." Elle laughed. He smiled knowing that she was happy. The little girl hummed softly swinging her legs. She wasn't going to make this easy on her mother.

"Peter," Gabriel's voice hit him as he stepped closer into the home. Gabriel Gray was wearing an apron on with some kind of funny slogan. A waffle maker sitting on the counter by the sink as a sack of newly made waffles sat by it. His eyes seemed excited at first to see him then a slight bit weary."Why are you back from your trip so soon?" Elle and Ginny's face turned toward the man as if asking him as well. Peter could almost fell the fury and fear they bore into him. He knew if he didn't say something fast he'd be fired.

"Because," An ominous almost mellow tone voice stated. "He's not 'our' Peter." A boy looking around ten or younger came from the kitchen table. He wore a pair of jeans and a dark blue t0shirt with a transformer on it. His face was slightly oval where his dark brown eyes sat serious and unwavering at the young man. His hair was combed back nicely atop his small head. A dirty blonde color only the slightest darker than his mother's. Peter instantly knew. This was Noah Gray.

"Noah," Peter whispered softly taking fast stepped to the boy. He went to his knees to hug the child. He pulled the ten year old into his embrace ignoring his weary parents. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." Two tears seeped from his eyes as Noah hugged him back. As if the boy understood what he meant.

"You needed to talk to me right?" Noah asked as he peered at his mother. "I drew a picture where you came. You need your original power back." He seemed completely certain about this as if he knew. He actually did.

"You knew I would come?" Peter asked pulling away so that he was holding the boy's shoulder. Noah simply nodded.

"I drew it." He pointed to a drawing on the refrigerator. A crayon picture of an off model Peter with a dripping red scar touching a young boy's shoulder. "You need empathic mimic back." Was this kid smart or was Peter just having a dumb day?

"Noah is a mimic." Gabriel began to explain pulling the apron over his head. He revealed a light blue button down shirt. "When he sees a power being used he can mimic it, apart from mental powers that is." Gabriel messed his boy's hair. Noah smiled softly at his father almost proud.

"What do I need to do?" Peter asked the boy.

"Obtain my power than go to Matt Parkman Jr. He'll reboot you to your original power." Noah explained holding out his hand for Peter to touch. He did feeling Noah's power overwhelm him. "It's based on memory. If you remember how to use any power you can use it. Just remember how it works. How it feels to use it." Noah pointed to a salt shaker on the counter moving his finger slightly. It moved with him. Peter did the same.

"Matt Parkman Jr.?" He wondered not sure who or where that person was. He knew Matt Parkman, but not his son.

"I have the address." Noah stated running over to the counter where drawings were tossed across the top. He climbed slowly to a stool.

"You do?" Elle asked as she lifted her daughter up.

"I drew Peter going to his house." Noah searched for the right picture. "I got the street address and everything. He lives in California. Here it is." Noah pulled the picture off handing it to the man.

Peter glanced at it seeing himself in the picture. The street sign close to him as he knocked on a door number two hundred fourteen. He nodded softly remembering where that street was in California when he had gone on a mission a while back. He looked back up as Gabriel Gray tried to shoo away an old looking Doberman as Noah smiled at him.

"Good luck, Peter." The boy then gave him a Vulcan sign. "Live long and prosper." Peter didn't know exactly what to say to that, but he looked up as Elle set her daughter down to go after the dog. The couple stood side by side and Peter knew that was how it was supposed to be.

"You know you got a smart kid on your hands." Peter admitted tucking the picture into his jacket.

"We know." Gabriel explained as his son moved on to trying to catch his sister.

"He reminds us every day." Elle said with a smile in her voice.

It was at that moment Peter knew how important Noah Gray could be.


	43. Innocence

**Author's Note:** More of a glimpse of a future in this one and wrap up slightly. Going to apologize in advance for the cliff hanger into the next and final chapter of Spotlight. I couldn't help myself. :)

CHAPTER 43: Innocence

Peter Petrelli felt his body land softly in the grassy back yard of the Parkman's. He looked toward the back door where a group of individuals dressed in black turned away from him going to leave. Flowers were circled around the day window. Peter felt the breeze fill his new scar. It hurt like hell so he winced.

He quickly stepped forward sliding the door open. The home was large smelling of old flowers and soot. Peter ran his hand over a bouquet of lilacs. The flowers soothed him softly as his heart raced. What if he was too late? What if the people in black were mourning Matt Parkman Jr.?

"Peter?" A soft voice asked as the young man turned.

Peter saw the older woman appear slowly in front of him. The blonde wore a dark black slacks with a V-neck collared blouse. A white cami was worn underneath. Her hair was much longer then he remembered curling at her shoulders. Her lipstick was light pink as she held a white lily in her hand.

"Daphne." He said softly. She looked at him oddly.

"What are you doing here?" She asked softly stepping forward in low heels.

"He's from the past Daph." Claude slowly appeared behind here reemerging from his invisibility. He motioned toward Peter's scar. "Fresh wound." He grinned at the man with an aging yet somehow brave looking face. Peter glanced around the room wondering why Daphne and Claude would be there.

"I wanted to pay my respects." Daphne said catching on to what Peter was wondering.

"Who died?" Peter asked in a hushed whisper.

"My mother." The young man turned to see a boy standing in a pair of black pants and a white button down long sleeved shirt with a black tie that seemed too short for his chubby frame. He had a perfectly round face where a tussle of brown hair laid combed back neatly. He looked only the slightest older than Noah.

Peter flinched at the sight of the boy. Daphne tilted her head forward as if paying respects to the boy. Claude shielded her as if this kid could touch him or his love. The kid looked at Peter with a solemn indifference. So Matt Parkman had finally lost his wife for good? Peter had heard the pair had gotten divorced and after discovering his son was actually his they had rekindled their love affair. In this future his wife had passed on.

"She was sick." Matt Parkman Jr. stated going over to the place where all the flowers laid. He held out his hand as Daphne gave him the lily. He arranged it with the others. "It was inevitable that she'd die." Peter could see the boy hold back a flow of tears. He was good at controlling his emotions. "You need me to reboot you to save Noah." Peter took a step back as Daphne looked at Claude as if he knew something and had forgotten to tell her.

"How do you know?" Peter asked softly. Matt's eyes finally fell on the young man. Peter saw that this boy was not a cold hearted person. He was emotional and grief ridden at the lost of his mother. Maybe he didn't want to lose any more people.

"Noah told me." He explained softly. "Despite being on other sides I understand where he is coming from. He needs me to save him. The future. I'm friends with Noah. I don't want him to die." He admitted softly as he glanced over at Daphne and Claude. "I may not like where this future led my family, but I've seen the future without Noah. There is none." He moved his hand looking at it slightly.

"You're on other sides of the country. How are you friends?" Peter wondered for his own reasons. Matt half smiled as if remembering how he and Noah Gray met.

"We went to New York on vacation. I met him in Central Park. I dream walk with him." He seemed to know more than he was saying, but Peter ignored it. He'd find out what he meant if he saved Noah.

Peter held out his hand for Matt to touch as Daphne and Claude watching on anxiously. Somehow they knew the importance of this event. The two's fingers touched and Peter felt the spark. His molecules jump started the latent ability he had once had. Slowly he was remembering all the people. Claude, Daphne, Isaac, Gabriel, Elle, and even Noah. He smiled remembering one final person. Matt Parkman.

_Go save Noah Peter_. Matt Jr. instructed in his head. _Before it is too late._ With that Peter remembered Hiro and jumped backwards in time.

--

Peter didn't land in the past. The first thing he felt was a slice to his face. His cries from his future merged with his past as he somehow merged with his past self. The self who had taken Ando's sword to the face. He screamed trying to remember his cause. The baby wailed reeling him back to the present. He knew what would happen if he failed.

"Don't want to ruin the plans Elle." Rachel's voice hissed. Peter composed himself taking a fist to Ando's face. He tried to remember how Claire Bennet made him feel to get rid of the scar, but he already held the scar from before he had acquired his ability back. He'd be keeping that scar forever.

"Hello Daddy." Peter kicked the Asian man when he was down. He didn't want him trying anything else. "Miss me?" Peter's pain dulled as he shot a bolt of lightning to Claire before Elle had the chance.

"You don't know how wrong this is Claire." Peter explained in a deep throaty tone. The girl's body healed quicker than normal. Claire just smiled as her face reformed.

"You haven't seen the future Peter. He's going to turn on us all." Peter knew that was bullshit. Noah had turned out great. Noah had turned out like any healthy boy.

"Since when am I on your side?" Peter asked with a hush. Rachel and Ando tried to rush him, but he sent them flying at Claire. "Elle, protect Noah!" he shouted and immediately the mother went for her child. She hugged the crying baby to her chest cradling and telling him she was there.

"Didn't want to do this Petey." Claire found herself shouting the gun at Peter. He collapsed to the ground quickly as she bounded for the mother and child. Elle was crying knowing she couldn't possibly protect her baby without using her ability, but she couldn't. She had her baby in her arms and she wasn't letting go.

"What happened to you Claire?" Noah Bennet asked shielding Elle from the dark looks of his once goody goody daughter. She looked into her father's eyes seeing nothing, but pain in them.

"Move Dad." She said in a harsh tone. "Move or I will kill you."

"Why are you going to hurt him? He's a baby. He's innocent." Noah Bennet couldn't understand. Peter struggled to get up. The blast from the bullet had hit his heart, but it was now reforming. Slowly, but still reforming.

"No one is innocent Dad." She put the gun up aiming at the mother and son. "Not even you." She fired. Elle Gray didn't know who it hit because her eyes closed. She didn't even know if she herself was dead. The powerful noise had struck her as loud and close. Was Peter dead? Had he shielded her? Was Noah Bennet dead? Had he protected her and his surrogate grandchild from death? Was her child dead? The baby she loved so much?

Elle couldn't tell. All she heard was Claire's soft gasp at herself killing someone and two words.

"I'm sorry."


	44. EPILOUGE: Family

**Author's Note:** Sadly this is the final chapter in the epic saga that is Spotlight. It's been a great run and I want to thank every single person who reviewed. You guys make the story!

Let me know what you thought of the whole thing. Who do you want to see in the future? The sequel is just a set of stories told from different points of views from every Gray family memeber. Fluff one story. Danger and drama the next.

Again thank you to everyone who reviewed. Enjoy the epilouge of Spotlight :)

EPILOUGE: Family

Elle held her son. She hadn't let go of him since that day. Even when she slept Noah Gray remained in her arms sometimes trying squirm out. Elle kept him with her though. The child seemed to only slightly understand the importance of what happened. Someone had sacrificed themselves to save them. Him and his mother.

They watched the coffin lowered into the earth. The whole Company was there including Noah's former wife and his son, Lyle. Tears welled down the pairs eyes. Daphne and Claude were far in the back. Claude hid his emotion not to well as his fists balled up in anger for not saving his former partner and friend. Elle rocked her son softly in the dark pants suit. The child slept soundly against his mother's chest softly breathing as Elle lifted his hood up to shield him from a cold wind.

Gabriel had his eyes on the coffin in thought. Noah Bennet had once been such an enemy to him. He remembered his first time meeting him at the holding cell in the old Company. He remembered threatening his daughter and shouting at him that he was Sylar. He remembered tricking him. Locking him away so he could go after the fiend that was Claire Bennet.

He remembered when he was assigned to work with him. How the partnership was wavy, but strong at the very least. He remembered watching his face as Elle shot his daughter. Watching his face as he came in reeling a shot gun to kill them both. He remembered the blood seeping from his neck as he died at Noah Bennet's hands.

Noah Bennet had done all this making himself an enemy to the name Gray. But all those things didn't matter. Noah Bennet had turned himself around. Claire was lost to him. His reason for doing what he did and still he fought. He fought the fight because he knew what was right. That Angela's goal was pure in intention. He had stuck with them until the end. Stayed with the Company. Become closer to the pair. Saved the life of a child.

"He saved us all." Peter whispered watching as the priest said his final words. Gabriel turned nodding once at Peter. Luke watched solemnly beside his brother. The man he had gone through so much with.

He didn't know Noah Bennet well, but he knew what he did. He had saved his nephew and the world according to Mrs. Petrelli who as usual stood ominously silent. Luke ran his fingers through his stuck up hair watching as Lulu brought a tissue to her eye beside Peter. The young man hooked his arm with the woman as she rested her head on his shoulder. The faces were not the same. Everyone had a different reaction to loss.

Luke remembered when his father left. Not his real father, but the one he grew up with. His mother had been devastated where he had been overjoyed, though he didn't show it. He cried and sobbed as much or as little as she did. All the faces hid that same emotion. Grief. Grief for the man who guided them. Grief for the man who had lost his life to his own child.

Peter squeezed Lulu's shoulder. He had first known Noah as an unknown figure who helped him. A man with the alias HRG. A man who had adopted and loved his niece. He had intentions. Always good ones, but he did bad things. Peter knew that. He was a man of the Company. He was a man protecting his child. He had died that way too. He had been both protecting his namesake and his Claire. Save Claire from murdering a baby. Something he knew she would regret.

"Elle please," Gabriel whispered to his wife. "Put him down." He touched his boy's sleepy little head. "He's tired. It's over." She hugged him closer looking into the stroller her husband had forced her to bring. She was reluctant, but did so.

She laid her son in the green stroller as he shifted slightly and cooed. The boy was wearing a dark gray onesie as he was swaddled in a white cotton baby blanket with angels scattered about it. It was thanks to Noah Bennet he wasn't an angel now. She stared at him for a good long couple of seconds.

She had known Noah Bennet well. He had been a member of her father's business for a long time. She could even call him a family friend back then. He used to say she reminded him of Claire. Even back than she didn't like being reminded of anyone. She always wanted to be her own person. She always wanted to be someone else.

Noah Bennet in a way understood that, though he never went against orders. They had helped change Gabriel in many ways. First a monster than a man. It was through him that she had become someone outside the Company. That she had found herself. It was through him that she felt the confidence to become a mother. Through Noah Bennet she had found her son's name. Through Noah she had found a father figure better than her own father. She knew she couldn't thank him ever for all the things he taught her to be, but in return she could be the best mother to the boy he saved. Had given his life for.

"I swear," She said softly to her husband. "Someday I will kill her." Her voice was tough and undying. Gabriel, Luke, and Peter shifted their heads toward Elle as the coffin hit the grave. The priest spoke a final word as the people shifted to put dirt on the coffin. "No matter how long it takes."

The determination in her voice frightened both Peter and Luke, but Gabriel knew her words would be true. He would be beside her when she took the cheerleader out for good. Luke's eyes were one to shift up as the couple comforted each other.

"Company." Luke muttered pointing his chin in the direction of the top of the hill.

Everyone looked up. The dark haired former cheerleader was looking into the grave from the top of the hill. The arm of Jason Earp was around her looking as indifferent as ever wearing a black suit where the cheerleader wore a dark black jacket and black slacks. Gabriel shifted looking to Lulu than up at the hill. His and Jason's eyes met and both knew a confrontation was in store.

"Lulu, please watch Noah." Gabriel stated as the woman looked into his eyes.

"Of course.: Her tone was sad and full of tears as she went to the stroller.

Gabriel pried Elle's hands away from her baby and held one softly. Peter and Luke understood what was happening and followed Gabriel and Elle up the hill. Once over it they saw them Claire and Jason moving toward an unmarked black Merecedes.

"What are you doing here?" Peter spat raising his hand as if to hit her. A brief, but sudden calm came over him as Jason looked into the other Petrelli's eyes.

"He was my father Peter." Claire said with a tone that was on the verge of sadness. "Do you think I wouldn't show?"

"How can you show your face?" Elle asked wrinkling her own face. "You killed him." Claire ducked her head down as if the slightest ashamed.

"I know, but that was his choice." She whispered as if she didn't want him dead. She truly didn't. "He still was my father. He still raised me and I still . . ." She paused looking up at Peter. "I still love him."

"He was more of a father to me than he ever was to you." Gabriel Gray began with a look of murder in his eyes. She stepped back as Jason raised his hand. Though Gabriel was calm in every sense his voice remained infuriated. "He helped me become who I was in every way. A monster, an agent, a husband, a father." When he had said father it stung her. He still was a father and she knew she could never take that away. "He helped me understand I can be more. To sacrifice everything for my family."

His family. The people who surrounded him now. The people who stood by him through the good times and bad. Through the times he had decided to covet powers to the times when he worried over his son. Through his father's reluctance to accept death to his own reluctance to accept living. They were with him. They were his.

"Noah wouldn't want me to kill you at his funeral, Claire." He said in a low tone. "I'm going to respect the man and let you live today, but don't think I . . .no we won't try to kill you after what you did." Claire knew that. Jason did as well. He held the calm looking into all their eyes until he and Claire got into the car and drove away.

The calm disappeared when the car did. Peter let out a sigh of relief. He was glad Gabriel had decided to let Claire live today. Only for the reason he said. Only because Noah Bennet wouldn't want his daughter dead today.

"You're going to be a great dad Gabe." Luke finally said to break the silence. Gabriel looked over at his brother. A family member he had discovered through Bennet. He managed to smile.

"I'll be lucky to be half the father and man he was." Gabriel said in a soft tone. Elle took his hand softly smiling into his eyes.

"We'll be there for you." Peter pat his shoulder softly giving his friend a smile. Peter could call him friend forever now.

Gabriel smiled looking down at his son in the stroller soundly sleeping. Than back at Elle. His wife, his son, his brother, his best friend. That's what he had. That's what he always wanted.

A family.


End file.
